On the first day of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers made a move. They agreed to trade the rights to their No. 25 pick, which they used to select Sergio de Larrea, a wing from Spain, for the rights to the New York Knicks’ No. 24 pick. That No. 24 pick was used on Cameron Carr, a guard who spent this past season at Baylor University.
The Lakers may have gotten a steal by snagging Carr. While people said the same thing two years ago when they drafted Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick, Carr has some special qualities that could allow him to blossom just about as much as he wants to in the pros.
The 6-foot-5, 185-pound 21-year-old averaged 18.9 points on 49.4% overall shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists a game and earned All-Big 12 honors during the 2025-26 season. He will now join a Lakers team that could really use the talents and abilities he brings.
Here are five notable things to know about the newest member of the Purple and Gold.
He’s an excellent 3-point shooter
One of the Lakers’ big needs is 3-point shooting, and Carr can help in that department. During the 2025-26 campaign, he attempted 6.1 treys a game and made 37.4% of them, which means he can not only hit 3-pointers, but he’s also a volume 3-point shooter.
He can create his own shot off the bounce a bit, but his handles are a work in progress. However, he is adept at hitting outside shots off the catch, which could help him fit nicely around Luka Doncic.
NBADraft.net’s scouting report of Carr said he has “clean, repeatable shooting mechanics with confidence to fire off the catch or when given space.” Sounds like exactly what Los Angeles needs to help take its offense to the next level.
He’s very athletic
The Lakers need an infusion of speed and athleticism in order to become a championship-caliber team. In a league where being able to play fast-break basketball is seen as a virtue and probably a necessity, they were 22nd in pace and 16th in fast-break points during the regular season. This lack of athleticism also manifested itself on the defensive end, where L.A. was 20th in defensive rating.
Carr is the type of elite athlete the Lakers could use. He has an amazing 7-foot-1 wingspan, and he clocked in with a 42.5-inch vertical leap at the NBA draft combine. That leaping ability allows him to not only attack the rim but also finish strong, sometimes in spectacular fashion.
He has defensive potential
Carr’s athleticism, length and speed allowed him to average 0.9 steals and 1.3 blocks a game this past season. It is uncommon for a guard, even one who is 6-foot-5 and bouncy, to be a productive shot-blocker, but that is what Carr was for the Bears.
He has room for improvement when it comes to his defensive awareness, focus and consistency, and he does need to gain some bulk. But if his work ethic and desire are there, he could become a plus defender in the NBA.
He previously played with a current member of the Lakers
Carr spent his first two seasons in the NCAA with the University of Tennessee before transferring to Baylor University a year ago. For what it’s worth, he was teammates with Knecht when he was a freshman.
Thus far, in his two pro seasons, Knecht has been seen as something of a bust, despite many feeling like he had three-level scoring ability coming out of college. Perhaps having an old teammate by his side will ignite a little something within him.
His dad played in the NBA and competed against a Lakers legend
One major advantage Carr has is that he’s the son of a former NBA player. His father, Chris, was a second-round draft pick by the Phoenix Suns in 1995 and lasted six seasons in the league.
In fact, the elder Carr once competed in the NBA Slam Dunk contest in 1997 against a certain late Lakers legend named Kobe Bryant. Needless to say, he lost to the Hall of Famer, but he did finish second.
Sons of former NBA players tend to do well in the league. Only time will tell if the younger Carr will turn into a stud for Los Angeles.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Five things to know about new Lakers guard Cameron Carr
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
