Toumani Camara of the Trail Blazers out for the season, team announces

After sustaining a broken rib during Wednesday's match against the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara is ruled out for the remainder of the season. Camara exited the game during the fourth quarter of the Blazers' 120-106 defeat in Atlanta. Subsequent examinations revealed a fractured left rib and a kidney laceration, as confirmed by the Blazers on Saturday.

The rookie remained hospitalized in Atlanta but has since been discharged and is showing signs of improvement, according to the team. The Blazers stated that Camara is en route back to Portland and is anticipated to make a full recovery.

Acquired from Phoenix as part of the three-team Damian Lillard trade in September, Camara made his NBA debut this season, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 70 games, with 49 starts.

Camara is the second Belgian to grace the NBA court and the first born in Belgium to do so. While Didier Mbenga, who won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, holds Belgian nationality, he was born in Kinshasa, DRC.


Axel Hervelle, on the other hand, became the first Belgian drafted by an NBA team, though he never signed a contract and thus never played in the league.

The Trail Blazers endured a challenging season marked by injuries, exacerbated by the trade of Damian Lillard, prompting a significant restructuring of the team. Currently enduring a nine-game losing streak, this recent injury setback further complicates matters. Looking ahead to next year, the team aims to capitalize on their current assets and potentially make offseason acquisitions to bolster their roster alongside star player DeAndre Ayton, with hopes of returning to contention in the playoffs.

Source BasketNews: Toumani Camara to miss rest of season with fractured rib and kidney laceration
Source Oregon Live: Trail Blazers' Toumani Camara out for the rest of the season with injury