Olympic Legends - Pero Cameron

SYDNEY (Olympics) - Pero Cameron left a huge legacy on basketball in New Zealand, and his impact on the international game will last forever, too.

A native of Tokoroa, Cameron was a virtual unknown when he showed up at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Cameron had been playing professionally in Great Britain for the Chester Jets when he joined the Tall Blacks that summer and travelled to Australia.

The 2.00m Cameron was large, tipping the scales at 130kg, which made him incredibly difficult to compete against in the lane because he was able to use his wide body to good effect.

Good rebounders know the most important thing is to establish position, so Cameron was always a tough opponent on the low blocks when he put his mind to it.

What stood out about Cameron was his ability to help New Zealand spread the floor.

He buried 10 three-pointers from 27 attempts in Sydney.

Italy certainly did not know what to do against him because in their Preliminary Round game, he drilled five of seven from behind the three-point line.

Sydney proved to be a teaser because two years later, Cameron and the Tall Blacks won the admiration of fans everywhere with their unexpected run to the Semi-Finals of the FIBA World Championship.

Cameron, the New Zealand captain, shot the ball even better than he had in Sydney.

He connected on 24 of his 67 (35.8%) shots from long range.

His 22-point explosion against Andrei Kirilenko and Russia in the first game helped pave the way for a journey to the last eight.

Then, in their Quarter-Final against Puerto Rico, Cameron had 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The Tall Blacks’ run looked as if it might continue when in their next game, they opened up a 30-18 lead by the end of the first quarter against the former Yugoslavia.

Still on top 48-39 at half-time, the Tall Blacks caved in after the restart when the Yugoslavs outscored them, 27-10.

Svetislav Pesic’s team then held on in the fourth for an 89-78 victory to reach the Finals, despite 16 points and eight boards from Cameron.

Germany then beat Cameron and Co in the bronze-medal game.

Later that year in New Zealand, Cameron was named the Maori Sportsman of the Year.

Cameron and the Tall Blacks weren’t done making headlines because two years later they traveled to Athens for the Olympics.

A 71-69 defeat to Italy in their first game served as a platform for a frustrating tournament.

After scoring just eight points in the opener, a Yao Ming-led China shut Cameron out in the next game and beat the Tall Blacks in a pivotal game, 69-62.

Coached by Tab Baldwin, New Zealand breathed some life into their Olympic campaign and claimed revenge at the same time by beating Serbia and Montenegro, 90-87.

Most of the players in the Serbia and Montenegro squad had suited up for Yugoslavia two years earlier at the World Championship.

Cameron then put forth one of his most memorable performances in a Tall Blacks jersey, knocking down six three-balls against a star-studded Argentina but a close defeat was yet again on the cards for New Zealand as they fell to the eventual champions, 98-94.

In their last Preliminary Round game, Cameron and New Zealand went up against an unbeaten Spain side that was also loaded with talented players like Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro and Jose Calderon.

The Spaniards won, 88-84, despite 18 points and nine rebounds from Cameron.

Cameron continued to play the game after that Olympics.

He competed again at the World Championship in 2006 and then tried to help New Zealand make it to the Beijing Games but they came up short at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens.

His final appearances among the world's very best was at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, where he helped the Tall Blacks beyond the first round.

Cameron retired from playing in 2011 and now is a coach.

FIBA