5 takeaways from Phoenix Suns' rookie Tounami Camara's 20-point game in NBA Summer League debut

LAS VEGAS — Toumani Camara wanted to prove he belonged.

He showed that in the first quarter of his first game in the NBA Summer League for the Phoenix Suns.

The 6-8 rookie forward scored 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter, as the Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, 84-75, Saturday night at Cox Pavilion.

"I think I showed that I belong in this league," Camara said. "Small details I need to pay more attention to and really lock in like boxing out and stuff like that."

Camara shot 8-of-13 from the field and also grabbed eight rebounds.

"He was great," said Suns assistant Quinton Crawford, who is serving as head coach of the summer league team. "He did everything we asked him to do. We used him as a Swiss Army knife. We showed he can bring the ball up the court, showed he can play a little five, DHO (dribble handoff), he can do a bunch of different things. I think his first showing in the NBA was really good."

Here are five takeaways from his summer league debut that included a poster dunk over 7-6 Tacko Fall.

The Suns play their next game Monday against the Miami Heat at Thomas & Mack Center in Vegas.

He was lively early in the game

A second-round pick in last month's draft, Camara not only scored 11 points in the first quarter, but grabbed five rebounds. He got on the offensive glass and had a putback.

"I think it was trying to establish me early, playing inside and outside," he said. "Just being present and taking the right option. I'm not trying to hunt shots or anything like that. Just trying to take my option when it's open and when it's there. It just so happened to be in the first quarter."

Defensively, Camara got a steal and was active on that end.

The Suns don’t need him to score. They got plenty of guys who can do that, but if Camara can bring energy in practice, he’ll challenge for playing time.

Camara should want to be the guy in practice who makes the veterans think, “I better bring it today because Camara is trying to get my minutes.”

He also showed the ability to be the roller on screen-and-roll, a skill Crawford says can benefit him for years to come.

"If (Camara) can do that, he's going to have a long career," said Crawford. "He's a wonderful screener. He knows how to hip, tap and roll and get behind the defense and put a lot of pressure on that rim. He's an athletic human being. For him, playing in that screen and roll, learning how to pop, play second-side basketball is always going to be positive basketball for him."

Using his size

He’s listed at 6-8, 220 pounds, but those measurements aren’t always accurate, especially for a rookie, but Camara really looks his height and weight. He used it well early. Went up strong on a putback in traffic.

"Toumani is phenomenal, man," said Suns big Trey Jemison. "I talked with Toumani in Portsmouth (Invitational) and he's just a phenomenal player all around. Defensive, offensive, handling the ball. He does a great job. I love playing with him."

It wasn’t an easy shot, but Camara made it look so, but as the game progressed, the Bucks made it tougher for him to impact the game from a physical standpoint.

The challenge for him is to learn angles to get on the glass.

Character, demeanor

Camara is just a rookie, but he did a good job of selling a couple of fouls by reacting backwards and putting his hands up. That’s not an easy thing to do for a veteran player, let alone a rookie.

That enabled him to get to the free throw line (3-of-4 on free throws for the game).

Crawford also praised Camara for being verbally engaged, especially when the Suns lost their 10-point halftime lead.

"The numbers look good, but I think his overall character and demeanor throughout the game, cheering on his teammates, trying to bring his teammates together when the going got a little tough for us for us, he was the one on the bench talking," Crawford said. "He was really good and I tip my hat to him."

As the game progressed

Camara probably found out he’s not in as good a shape as he thought he was. He looked a little gassed in the second half. Didn’t have that same energy.

Getting the wind knocked out him in the third quarter didn't help, either.

That’s to be expected, but then he exploded for a one-handed hammer over the 7-footer Fall in the fourth quarter.

Ouch.

"You've got to go up strong when you got big guys in the lane," Camara said. "I couldn't go up soft. I went up soft one time and he blocked me. So I knew next time when I was going down, I had to go and throw it down."

The challenge now will be for him to not waste energy. He’ll get in better shape throughout this summer league. Curious to see how he’ll look in the second of a back-to-back in Phoenix’s third game and whether the Suns play him in their last two games or if they sit him for one of those.

Backside defense, boxing out

The Bucks took advantage of him on the baseline, penetrating and dishing for easy buckets.

He can defend one-on-one. The next step is to play team and position defense.

Camara also found himself having to guard Fall on the other end. He lost that physical battle in trying to box him out as someone his size should against a 7-footer, but Camara competed.

"I love it," Camara said. "Again, I feel like that's part of my game. That's part of my identity in who I am. I take a lot of pride in that. I felt like I really didn't do a good job of boxing out. Just keep watching film."

The Bucks ravaged the Suns with 19 offensive boards in outrebounding them, 48-29. So, Camara wasn't the only one who took a beating on the glass.

Taking responsibility is always the start of improvement. Camara will have a chance to show what he learned Monday.

"He's willing to do whatever it takes and that's what I really love about him," Crawford said. "He's doing whatever it takes to win. If I need to play him at the five and have him guard Tacko Fall, he's not shrugging his shoulders. He's like, 'I got him.' He's embracing all the challenges we're throwing in front of him. This is what the summer league is about for him. We're going to put him in different positions and see what he can do, offensively, defensively and he's got to show us. I think tonight he showed us something."

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns rookie Toumani Camara jams on Milwaukee Bucks 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall in NBA Summer League