Cameron Carr's Old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Remark Goes Viral After Lakers Draft Selection

Cameron Carr initially thought he would be playing for the New York Knicks, who selected him with the 24th pick in the Draft. However, the Los Angeles Lakers secured a trade with the Knicks to acquire Carr, sending the 25th pick, which was used to draft Sergio De Larrea, along with cash considerations, to New York. It's a great opportunity for Carr to begin his career with one of the NBA's most iconic franchises. But it also means he'll be part of the Western Conference, where he'll go up against OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom he made controversial comments about.

Carr called out Gilgeous-Alexander's flopping. He specifically stated that he doesn't want to guard someone like him who flops.

"Yeah, I ain't dealing with the flopping," Carr said when asked if he'd rather guard SGA over Anthony Edwards. But now, he will have to do it twice as many times as he would have wanted.

Had Carr joined the Knicks, he would have played the Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander two times, since they are in different conferences. But the Lakers and the Thunder play each other four times a season, at least.

Last season, the Lakers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder eight times. Gilgeous-Alexander came out on top in all four regular-season meetings before leading OKC to a 4-0 sweep of Los Angeles in the second round of the playoffs. If the Lakers hope to make another deep postseason run, there's a good chance they'll cross paths with the defending champions again. So, whatever flops or mind games SGA throws Carr's way, he'll have to find a way to deal with them.

Carr isn't the only person who believes SGA flops. Fans and even players, including Victor Wembanyama, have accused the Canadian star of foul-baiting. After a win over the Thunder last December, the San Antonio Spurs big man said he's a fan of "ethical basketball," a comment many viewed as a subtle jab at Shai, who averaged nine free-throw attempts per game. However, that wasn't even the highest mark in the league, as that distinction belonged to the Lakers' Luka Doncic. It's one reason many believe the criticism surrounding Shai's alleged flopping is often blown out of proportion.

Draymond Green actually defended Shai in his podcast earlier this year, responding to critics who felt that the Thunder star achieved success by simply flopping.

"You all think the NBA is that easy to where this guy just flops and goes to the free throw line and becomes like the back-to-back MVP in this league? We're going to really dumb the NBA down to that?" Green asked. And after Carr plays in the league for a few weeks, he, too, will likely understand that.

The former Baylor Bears guard wasn't expected to be a first-round prospect, especially during his first two years in the NCAA. However, Cameron had a breakout season last year, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. Prior to transferring to Baylor from Tennessee, Carr averaged 4.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. He won't be a favorite to win Rookie of the Year right away, but the Lakers had their reasons for selecting him, with a former star explaining why he'll be a great addition to the squad.

Former Lakers Star Explains Why Cameron Carr is a Great Pick

With the Los Angeles Lakers still trying to build their championship squad, it seems they're starting the summer on a positive note after picking up Carr in the 2026 NBA Draft. Former Lakers big man DeMarcus Cousins explained on Tuesday why Carr will be a good fit.

He feels that Carr will flourish next to Luka Doncic. Cousins believes that his athleticism, mixed with his playmaking abilities, will gel perfectly with the Slovenian superstar.

"I like him next to Luka," Cousins said. "Just thinking about his passing ability, the way he's able to get up and down the floor, the athletic ability, even some signs of shooting the ball, shooting around, Luka's always a great thing, but I'm thinking of the athletic standpoint. ... I'm expecting some pretty cool highlights from these two."

It'll be interesting to see if his confidence playing in Baylor will translate on the hardwood when he starts suiting up for the Lakers next season.