Portland Trail Blazers’ Chauncey Billups Offers Praise to Rookie Toumani Camara

ThePortland Trail Blazersdidn’t have much to hang their hat on after a 126-98 loss against thePhiladelphia 76erson Sunday. However, the team did see some positive development from rookie Toumani Camara.

Camara, the No. 52 overall pick from this year’s draft, was a throw-in for the Damian Lillard trade just before training camp, but he could turn into one of the deal’s key pieces.

The former Dayton Flyer has been given an opportunity to showcase his skills for a rebuilding Blazers team, and his effort has caught the attention from coach Chauncey Billups.

“That’s just kind of what he does is, who he is,”Billups said after the game. “I mean he’s just a gritty player that is never going to stop playing hard and it doesn’t matter the score, the opponent who he’s playing against, what time of the game, he’s going to scrap. And that’s what our guys love about him, that’s what our our staff, we love about him and that’s how he’s going to make his name in this league and in the NBA and because of that he’s going he’s going to find himself having a really, really fine career.

Camara scored 12 points and blocked two shots in 28 minutes of action during Sunday’s loss. The chances of Camara being a star in the NBA are slim, but if he can showcase that “scrappy” identity, he can carve out a role with the Blazers this season and possibly beyond.

Camara and the Blazers are back in action tonight against theToronto Raptors. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT.