{"id":18342,"date":"2026-06-27T04:05:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T04:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=18342"},"modified":"2026-06-27T04:05:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T04:05:05","slug":"cameron-carr-says-being-lakers-1st-round-draft-pick-is-a-blessing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=18342","title":{"rendered":"Cameron Carr says being Lakers\u2019 1st-round draft pick is \u2018a blessing\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

EL SEGUNDO \u2014 Cameron Carr\u2019s smile hardly wavered during his introductory press conference on Friday afternoon, his first chance to speak to local media after being selected with the 24th pick in the NBA draft on Tuesday \u2013 which ended up being the Lakers\u2019 selection after draft-night trades.<\/p>\n

Read more Mike Trout optimistic about returning to Angels\u2019 lineup, playing in All-Star Game<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a blessing,\u201d Carr said, a phrase he repeated frequently on Friday.<\/p>\n

Carr said the rich tradition of the Lakers was evident as he walked into the team facility earlier in the day, his first time in the building since the former Baylor guard did not work out for them before the draft (Carr said he did meet with Laker representatives \u201cthroughout the process,\u201d but did not specify when).<\/p>\n

Carr\u2019s first conversation with Lakers team personnel after being drafted was with head coach JJ Redick, he said Friday, adding that he\u2019s excited to play for him. Being drafted as late as Carr was, falling into the 20s after being widely expected to be selected during or just after the lottery (top 14) didn\u2019t put a damper on draft night, the 6-foot-5 wing said. Carr said he was just thrilled to join the Lakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to the Lakers,\u201d Carr exclaimed, describing his thoughts when selected. \u201cIt was more of an exciting thing. It felt surreal. It didn\u2019t feel real for the first couple minutes when I found out. It was trying to get my head around, \u2018Man, I\u2019m about to walk across the stage and be an NBA player.\u2019 I\u2019ve dreamed of this my whole life, especially since I was a kid. So it took a second. Still trying to get my head wrapped around it, but nothing but excitement and happiness. I feel more motivation to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carr, who averaged 18.9 points per game on 49.4% shooting overall (37.4% from 3-point range) during his redshirt sophomore season with Baylor this last year, described himself and an \u201cexplosive and dominant\u201d player.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old recognizes that in order to receive playing time in the NBA, however, he needs to improve his defense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve got to show that I\u2019m the best defender here,\u201d said Carr, who has a 7-1 wingspan. \u201cI feel like now stepping in an organization with people with the same type of mindset and abilities, it only makes my job easier. I\u2019ve just got to cut and dunk the ball for them, and run in transition. But first things first, is establishing a defensive consistency and showing I can be dominant or a plus on the defensive end as someone they would like to guard the best player.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

In a phone interview with the Southern California News Group on Friday, Baylor coach Scott Drew highlighted Carr\u2019s mental fortitude \u2013 something he believes is helped by being the son of a former NBA player.<\/p>\n

Read more Ducks trade Mason McTavish for two 1st-round picks<\/a><\/p>\n

Carr\u2019s father, Christopher Carr, played six seasons as an NBA guard and was the runner-up to Lakers icon Kobe Bryant in the 1997 All-Star Slam Dunk contest. He watched from the back of the room at the UCLA Health Training Center while his son addressed the press corps. Cameron Carr shared that his dad allowed him to independently fall in love with basketball.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Cam, he was someone that a lot of times people go to the NBA, they\u2019ve never sat the bench, they\u2019ve never not started or not played, and he\u2019s gone through that, so that\u2019ll make his NBA adjustment that much easier,\u201d Drew said. \u201cBecause obviously we move up levels, there\u2019s different roles, different opportunities with that, he appreciates and understands the blessing of being on the court in any capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew used the example of Carr\u2019s first starts with Baylor last season, when he scored 44 points over a two-game span. That total surpassed the 42 combined points he had scored during his first two seasons at Tennessee.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

When asked about his journey to the Lakers \u2013 leaving Tennessee midseason after suffering a thumb injury, transferring to Baylor where due to NCAA eligibility rules had to be a scout team member, and breaking out into a potential lottery pick this past season \u2013 Carr said he\u2019s learned that he always has to place an \u201cemphasis on opportunity\u201d in his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like anytime you get on the court is your time to show who you are as a player, even if that\u2019s for 30 seconds or 30 minutes, take advantage of it and be dominant,\u201d he said. \u201cShow what you\u2019re capable of. I think I\u2019ll be able to do that early defensively, just showing I\u2019m athletic. Everybody is athletic but I can use my tools to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joining a Lakers roster led by Luka Doncic, a team that will soon be officially re-signing Austin Reaves, the organization\u2019s goal remains winning an 18th NBA championship. Drew believes Carr is cut from a winning-mindset cloth.<\/p>\n

\u201cCam is used to being around winning programs, winning cultures, and he\u2019s got winning DNA,\u201d Drew said. \u201cHe can score four points and be happy the team won. He can defend and rebound and pass and be happy. He can be on the bench and cheer on his teammates, so he cares about winning. And I know at the end of the day, a great organization like the Lakers, that\u2019s what they care most about. It\u2019s a great fit for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Angels players relieved that GM Perry Minasian didn\u2019t dismantle club<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 6-foot-5 former Baylor guard with the 7-1 wingspan, who the Lakers traded up to select with the 24th pick on Tuesday, says he\u2019s ready to prove he can play NBA-level defense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-based-on-facts-either-observed-and-verified-directly-by-the-reporter-or-reported-and-verified-from-knowledgeable-sources","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nCameron Carr says being Lakers\u2019 1st-round draft pick is \u2018a blessing\u2019 - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=18342\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cameron Carr says being Lakers\u2019 1st-round draft pick is \u2018a blessing\u2019 - 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