The Portland Trail Blazers announced Wednesday that forward Toumani Camara will represent the franchise at Monday night’s NBA draft lottery in Chicago.
The Blazers, who ended the season 36-46, have a 3.7% chance of winning the No. 1 pick and a 16.9% chance of leaping into the top four.
According to a team representative, general manager Joe Cronin selected Camara because the second-year forward represents the heart and soul of what the team wants to become.
Camara is respected as one of the best defenders in the NBA. The team promoted him for defensive player of the year and he finished ninth in the voting.
Portland hopes Camara brings better luck than last year. The Blazers sent guard Scoot Henderson to the lottery and fell from No. 5 to No. 7, where they took center Donovan Clingan.
The year before, however, former Blazers All-Star Brandon Roy went to the lottery and came home with the No. 3 pick after the Blazers entered the process with the NBA’s fifth-worst record (33-49).
Former Blazers superstar Damian Lillard represented the Blazers at the 2022 lottery when the team fell from No. 6 to No.7 and selected guard Shaedon Sharpe.
Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is regarded as the top prospect in the 2025 draft and is a virtual lock to be selected No. 1.
Landing anywhere into the top four could lead to the Blazers acquiring a high-end impact talent.
Rutgers guard Dylan Harper and forward Ace Bailey, as well as Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, are regarded as having star potential.
The lottery will air on ESPN at either 5:30 p.m. or 6 p.m., depending on the NBA’s playoff schedule.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)