Former Flyer finishes in top 10 in NBA defensive player of year voting

“People who are NBA junkies probably knew who Toumani Camara was coming into this season,” a reporter told Camara during the interview. “Now it feels like everyone around the league knows who you are. If you could pick one word just to describe this year for you, what would you pick and why?”

“That’s a good question,” Camara said. “One word to describe the season? I think ‘maturing’ is the biggest word for me individually. As a group, last year we were just trying to figure out a bunch of things, and this year we were actually able to establish ourselves a little bit more. I feel like I grew so much in so many areas, whether it was my shooting, patience or understanding the game and not committing as many fouls. Small details like that. That’s what kind of separated me this year.”

The Trail Blazers finished 21-61 in Camara’s rookie season. They improved to 36-46 this season but missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

As a rookie, Camara appeared in 70 games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game. In his second season, he ranked seventh on the team in scoring (11.3), fifth in rebounding (5.8) and second in steals (1.5). He played in the NBA’s Rising Stars Game on All-Star Weekend.

Camara started 78 games. He was one of 14 players in the NBA to make that many starts. Only six players started all 82 games in the regular season. He ranked 25th in the NBA in total minutes played (2,548).

Camara was named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month in February. The Blazers promoted him for the Defensive Player of the Year award. According to The Oregonian newspaper, “the franchise sent out locked plastic cases to NBA awards voters and national media members.” The cases could only be opened by using the combination “033.” Camara wears No. 33.

A website, TheCamaraCase.com, also promoted Camara for the award, citing his defensive stats.

• Charges drawn: 31 (first in the NBA).

• Offensive fouls drawn: 90 (first).

• Defensive stops: 254 (second).

• Steals: 109 (tied for eighth).

The website quoted Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee, who said of Camara, “His growth and confidence and energy that he plays with you can tell is pretty contagious for the group. He just seems like he’s one of those guys that wants to do anything he can do to impact winning. Whatever the game requires of him, whatever his teammates require of him, he’s going to do it.

Despite the Blazers’ efforts, Camara was not among the three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year. Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley won the award, which was announced Thursday. Camara finished ninth in the voting, receiving one second-place vote and one third-place vote. He remains a candidate for the All-Defensive Team, which will be announced later this spring.

“I believe in my work ethic,” Camara said, “and I knew one day I was going to be able to establish myself pretty good in the NBA. Now how fast it was going to happen and when it was going to happen, it was not something that I ever pictured. I was just trying to go day by day. I’m very grateful for everything that has been going on for me this year. The only thing I can do now is keep going up. We’ll see how it goes.”

Camara improved on the offensive side as well. His 3-point shooting percentage climbed from 33.7% to 37.5% even as he more than doubled his attempts (172 to 360). Inside the arc, he shot 54.2% in his second season after shooting 52.3% as a rookie.

“Offensively, I’m still very raw,” Camara said. “The past two years, I had to play a different role and switch my game and try to adapt to a lot of new things. It’s just a matter of time for me to get comfortable in the situation that I’m in today offensively. The respect that I get from my teammates has helped me be more confident in my offense.”