Cameron Carr's Strong Summer League Showing Builds Momentum for Rookie Season
LAS VEGAS – Cameron Carr, the former Baylor men’s basketball standout and No. 24 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, made quite the first impression for the Los Angeles Lakers, as he averaged 18 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals across four contests in the Las Vegas Summer League, while shooting 42% from the floor.
“I’m taking it day by day and game by game and continuing to learn,” Carr said of his NBA Summer League experience. “I want to be a sponge. I’m not a perfect player — far from it — so if anybody can help me or give me an advantage, especially my teammates, I’m going to listen to them.”
The Lakers reached the NBA Summer League semifinals before losing a tight contest to Golden State, the eventual champions. In the narrow 92-88 defeat, Carr scored 17 points (5-16 FG), grabbed three rebounds and gained “unbelievably valuable” experience, according to head coach Ty Abbott.
“We’re one of four teams playing for something,” Abbott said following the Lakers’ final Summer League game. “In those high-press moments where they’re pressing you and you’re playing to win — win or go home — to be able to have the game in the balance and it’s on you to handle the ball, get us into an action, get us organized and try to get a solid possession to score, that builds a lot of confidence, regardless of the outcome.”
Prior to playing in Las Vegas, the Lakers played in three contests in the California Classic, in which Carr had another solid showing, averaging 16.7 points (42%) and 3.7 rebounds across 22 minutes per game.
“For a guy like that, you want him to be confident, and you want to make sure that he knows that you trust him,” Abbott said of allowing Carr to play freely. “He’s the one out there playing, so you have to give him some leeway. He’s been great for us. He’s hit a lot of shots.”
Although he averaged double-digit points per game, Carr was dealing with a thumb contusion across July, which potentially hurt his shooting numbers, as he shot 5-for-24 (21%) from beyond the arc, a stark contrast from his NBA Combine performance, where he established himself as one of the best shooters in the 2026 draft class; Carr shot 37% from deep at Baylor.
Carr knows his shooting numbers will rebound, and discussed some of the other areas that he was trying to work on this summer, noting, “Just slow down. Show that I’m not a rookie. Show that I can slow down and be comfortable with the ball. Defensively, no lapses. Try to have the least amount of lapses as possible.”
The Lakers also got accustomed to Carr’s elite athleticism, something that Baylor fans are all too familiar with. Carr routinely made highlight plays throughout July, including tons of tough finishes at the basket and rim-rocking dunks. He also gave fans a window into his personality with a hilarious quote after a 23-point, 11-rebound performance against the rival Los Angeles Clippers, where he said post-game, “I ain’t no pretty boy. I’m here to play basketball.”
Carr credits much of his athleticism to his father, Chris, who had a decade-long professional career and is best known for being the runner-up in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest to none other than Laker great Kobe Bryant.
Carr also says his father is a huge motivation and inspiration, saying, “Deep down, I’ve always wanted to be better than him. I’ve always been behind, so I want to show that he’s put a lot of work into me to become a better man. The only way I can accredit him and show that I’m thankful for him is by putting the work in and using it every single day. He’s a heck of a player, so there are some big footsteps I have to follow and a long journey, but it’s good motivation.”
Carr will now return to Los Angeles and look to keep improving before the season starts in mid-November, as he’s expected to be able to compete for a sizeable role in his rookie campaign under head coach JJ Redick and next to star players, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Coach Drew said this about Cam the day after the draft, “Cam made tremendous strides last year in his approach and consistency, and we saw his confidence grow every single day. The foundation he built through his work ethic and willingness to be coached has really positioned him to take another step.”
