The former NBA guard says his son’s road to the Lakers started before he could tie his shoes.
Christopher Dean Carr is a former professional basketball player who competed in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, reaching the final round before losing to Kobe Bryant. Nearly 30 years later, his son Cameron just got drafted by the franchise Bryant defined.
Chris Carr caught up with reporters at LAX on Friday, still visibly proud after watching 21-year-old Cameron get selected with the No. 24 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. It was technically the New York Knicks’ pick, but Cameron will play for the Los Angeles Lakers, who traded for him. For Chris Carr, the moment was personal in a way that went well beyond draft night.
He said the journey started when Cameron was just two and a half years old, when he began bringing him to the gym. From those early mornings to Tuesday night at Barclays Center, Chris said he has been sharing everything he learned during his own professional career with his son, one conversation and one workout at a time.
What Cameron Carr brings to the Lakers
Cameron put up 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game last season at Baylor, shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range. He impressed at the NBA Combine, posting 30 points in a scrimmage to boost his draft stock.
Listed at 6 feet 5 inches with a 7-foot wingspan, Cameron tested among the top athletes at the Combine, posting the second-fastest lane agility score, the second-best standing vertical leap, and the third-best max vertical leap in the group.
Draft analysts projected Carr to go as high as 14th overall, and the lowest projection had him going at 19. He profiles as a three-and-D player who can shoot off the catch, attack closeouts, and use his length to disrupt passing lanes. The Lakers traded up one spot from No. 25, sending cash considerations to the Knicks to secure him.
When thinking about playing for Los Angeles and alongside Luka Dončić, Cameron said he thinks of greatness. He described his path as requiring patience, calling it a blessing after experiencing both the highest highs and lowest lows throughout high school and college.
From Tennessee to Baylor to the NBA
Cameron’s college path was not a straight line. He left Tennessee after injuring his thumb four games into the season, which knocked him further off scouts’ radar before he transferred to Baylor. The move proved to be the turning point.
Carr played in only 18 games total at Tennessee before transferring to Baylor, where he started all 34 games during the 2025-26 season and averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. He led the Bears in scoring and posted single-digit points just twice all season.
The Kobe connection and what comes next for the Carr family
A 19-year-old Bryant defeated Chris Carr in the opening round of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest on his way to becoming the youngest Slam Dunk Contest champion in NBA history. Nearly three decades later, the son of one of Bryant’s former dunk contest rivals begins his own NBA journey with the franchise Bryant helped define.
Chris Carr addressed the dunk contest legacy directly when asked whether he wants Cameron to finally bring that trophy home for the family. He said it would be a cool thing to see but that there are more immediate priorities, starting with Cameron locking down a role on the roster and proving he belongs in a Lakers uniform.
According to Chris Carr, both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have already reached out to Cameron to welcome him to the team. As for whether Cameron has ever beaten his father in a one-on-one, Chris kept that answer close to the vest.
What he did not hold back on was the pride. This was decades in the making, and for the Carr family, the work has only just begun.