Basketball: Cameron highly rated among peers

Respected - Pero Cameron. Picture / Fotopress

Tall Black Pero Cameron has shone through in a pre-season poll iof national league basketball players.

The Waikato Titans forward was voted in the poll -- displayed on FIBA's (international basketball federation) website -- as the first player many others would choose if faced with the task of building a franchise from scratch.

He shared that mantle with Tall Black Lindsay Tait, and was also voted the most respected player, and the player people most enjoyed playing against.

Cameron was also considered the most physical player in the league.

Titans general manager John Davey said the team were keen to get Pero to Waikato three or four years ago. "We absolutely recognised his value," he said on the website.

"While he wasn't used very well by the Breakers this year, he is still the most influential player in New Zealand basketball -- I don't think anyone even comes close.

"He is the only guy that cannot score a point, yet still have a huge influence on the outcome of a game."

Davey said Cameron had also played a big part in luring players to the Waikato franchise. "Everyone wants to play with him," he said.

Despite his struggles with the Breakers over the summer, Cameron is just as highly regarded across the Tasman.

"Geordie Cullen (Australian centre) told me on a number of occasions that every Australian team fears Pero. The big guys on other teams use him as a benchmark," Davey said.

The poll found Tall Black Phil Jones was the man most trusted to take the final shot with the game on the line, followed by Cameron and Auckland's Aaron Olsen.

Auckland import Casey Frank and Taranaki's Che Yandle had "the meanest hop in the league".

Tait was also rated by his peers as being the best handler in the league, while Tall Black and Hawke's Bay player Paul Henare and Canterbury's Michael Gardener also rated highly.

Canterbury's Clifton Bush was the "biggest trash talker" in the league, while his team was the most talkative.

Tall Black Dillon Boucher was voted the best defender, with an average of 2.16 steals.

Hawke's Bay American import Dusty Rychart was favoured as the league's most under-rated player, while Nelson coach Nenad Vucinics was a popular choice as the other coach players would like to play for.

New Zealand's national basketball league starts tonight.

- NZPA