Former defensive player of the year and two-time All-Defensive NBA first teamer Marcus Camby is going one-on-one with Methusaleh to come back to the NBA.
Completely recovered from surgery to his left foot where he suffered a torn plantar fascia last year, Camby told Houston Sports Talk in an exclusive interview that at 40 years of age he is in great shape and is ready for b-ball.
“I’m feeling great right now,” Camby told HST’s Robert Land. “Each week I’m increasing my workouts and anticipating (going to) training camp somewhere next season.”
I have no reason to doubt Camby. Looking super-fit at the grand opening of his MC23 barbershop and salon in Pearland last Saturday – just one of his business ventures around the city of Houston — he looks like he can still beat Methusaleh.
I’d play make-it, take-it, just to be sure.
By now you may have noticed that he doesn’t call his barbershop “MC29” for the jersey he wore in Houston. Of course his peak years rebounding and blocking shots were for the Nuggets and Knicks where he wore #23. But he does not rule out playing for “Coach Mac” and the Rockets again, where he could surely add some minutes of stout defense down low to the fast-breaking, three-point bombing offense.
Camby praises Kevin McHale as a “great coach”. “It’s always great to have coaches who played in the league because they know what NBA players go through on a night-in and night-out basis,” Camby said.
“I think they’re surrounded by talent and they have a great GM in Daryl Morey,” he said. “With Dwight and James and that crew and especially with the money they’re freeing up this summer hopefully they can land another free agent or two, that’s going to put Houston over the top and hopefully a run for a championship which I know is what this city wants.”
Wait a minute, Marcus: are you talking about Carmelo Anthony, your teammate for six years in Denver? Whose signed jersey hangs high like a championship banner in your Pearland, Texas barbershop?
“He has to do what’s best for him and his family,” Camby said. “Any team that he goes to, that team automatically is a contender. I know he’s focused and he’s ready to have strong, impactful season,” he said.
Same goes for LeBron. Camby said he never thought LeBron would’ve left Cleveland, but his gut now tells him that the Big Three — Lebron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh — will remain in Miami.
I get the feeling that Camby would love to rejoin the Rockets. He loves living in Pearland, just 15 miles or so south of Toyota Center. Or anywhere in the Lone Star State, which appeals to this Hartford, Connecticut native. Texas has no state income tax, little snow and heaps of heat and humidity — paradise, as far as Camby is concerned.
According to Camby, maybe a quarter of the NBA resides in Texas, at least for the summer workouts.
“Coach (John) Lucas gives the best workouts,” Camby said. “He’s friendly and cool with everybody, he’s a guy you can talk to about anything.” “I really love it down here.”
If Camby re-enters the league he would be the oldest player in the NBA (Steve Nash is also 40). But Tim Duncan who just won another ring is only 38 and averaged 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game last season. Former backup center Omer Asik is already gone and I’d be willing to bet if Morey crunched the numbers in his Morey-ball supercomputer, Camby could still deliver value for the off-the-bench minutes he would play.
Camby has 17 years experience in the NBA. Only 952 more to go to match Methusaleh’s career. But seriously, Marcus, how much longer can you play, given that your specialty is defense, which demands effort and intensity?
“Till the wheels fall off,” he said.
