SAN FRANCISCO ― The Los Angeles Lakers might have lost their opening California Classic summer league game against the Golden State Warriors, but they proved that NBA draft night was a win.
Cameron Carr, the No. 24 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Baylor, showed that he belongs on an NBA floor.
In a head-to-head matchup with Warriors No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg, Carr held his own. The Lakers were defeated 104-72, but Carr was the lead man for LA scoring 19 points on 7-for-15 field goal shooting, including 5-for-11 from 3-point land. He added a blocked shot, assist and a couple of rebounds in the Lakers’ loss.
Carr was initially drafted by the New York Knicks with the 24th overall pick, but the Lakers traded the 25th overall pick and cash considerations to the Knicks to get Carr.
Carr plays guard and forward, standing 6-foot-5, 185 pounds. Last season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
He was highly touted as an athletic, sharpshooting threat.
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver poses with 2026 draft prospects before the NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver poses with 2026 draft prospects before the NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after h is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with AJ Dybantsa after he is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
AJ Dybantsa is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Cameron Boozer awaits the start of Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Caleb Wilson poses with family prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Chris Cenac Jr. poses for a photo with Kelvin Sampson prior to Round One.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
Mikel Brown Jr. awaits the start of Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
(Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
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Every player selected in the NBA Draft 2026 first round in photos
An interior view of Barclays Center prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23, 2026 in New York City.
(Caleb Bowlin, Getty Images)
USA TODAY Sports gave the Lakers’ draft selection of Carr a “B+” grade. Senior basketball reporter Lorenzo Reyes wrote that Carr “should be an excellent fit for a Lakers team that could always use another scoring threat to pair alongside Luka Dončić.”
Carr spent the first two years of his college career with the Tennessee Volunteers, playing in 18 games. He transferred to the Baylor Bears as a junior and was named a third-team All-Big 12 player. He is the son of former NBA player Chris Carr, who played for six different teams in six seasons.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Lakers rookie Cameron Carr looks NBA-ready, despite summer league loss
