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Marcus Camby Returns To Rockets

By Brian Henry on August 1, 2013 2:57 PM
Former UMass standout Marcus Camby has signed a one-year contract with the Houston Rockets after being traded to Toronto and released.

Camby, 39, signed a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with the Rockets in part for the chance to return home. After agreeing to a $3.4 million buyout with the Toronto Raptors, he will earn roughly $1.4 million from his Rockets contract, $884,293 paid by the Rockets.


Chad Ford of ESPN.com rated the NBA teams and their offseason moves, giving the Rockets an 'A' for their decisions, highlighted by bringing Dwight Howard and Marcus Camby to the Space City.

UMass' NBA Draft Rewind: A Trip Down Memory Lane

By Brian Henry on June 27, 2013 10:26 AM
With the NBA Draft tonight, we've compiled some clips and news articles from when recent UMass standouts realized their dreams when they heard their name called. But first here's a list of the UMass draft history...
1968: Billy Tindall (Atlanta Hawks, 10th round)
1969: Pete Gayeska (Atlanta Hawks, 9th round)
1972: Julius Erving (Milwaukee Bucks, 1st Round - 12th overall)
1973: Tom Austin (Boston Celtics, 19th round)
1974: Al Skinner (Boston Celtics, 9th round)
1975: John Murphy (Chicago Bulls, 8th round)
1975: Bill Endicott (Boston Celtics, 10th round)
1977: Jim Town (Denver Nuggets, 6th round)
1978: Derick Claiborne (Kansas City Kings, 5th round)
1978: Mark Haymore (Philadelphia 76ers, 5th round)
1984: Edwin Greene (Milwaukee Bucks, 9th round)
1995: Lou Roe (Detroit Pistons, 2nd round - 30th overall)
1997: Marcus Camby (Toronto Raptors, 1st Round - 2nd overall)
1999: Lari Ketner (Chicago Bulls, 2nd round - 49th overall)
2007: Stephane Lasme (Golden State Warriors, 2nd round - 46th overall)
2008: Gary Forbes (NBA-D League Sioux Falls Skyforce, 1st round - 4th overall)
2009: Chris Lowe (NBA-D League Reno Bighorns, 3rd round)
2011: Anthony Gurley (NBA-D League Los Angeles D-Fenders, 2nd round - 31st overall)

And here are some links and videos to get you through this Throwback Thursday.




MBB Recaps From Saturday's 79-76 Loss To George Washington

By Brian Henry on January 20, 2013 9:44 AM | No TrackBacks
UMass found itself trailing by 16 points in the second half before mounting a nice comeback before narrowly missing out on the victory, falling to George Washington, 79-76, at the Mullins Center.



The day was special as Marcus Camby's No. 21 jersey was retired and raised to the rafters, joining George "Trigger" Burke, Julius Erving, Lou Roe and Al Skinner.

ESPN Boston: No blocking out Marcus Camby

By Brian Henry on January 18, 2013 4:25 PM | No TrackBacks
Marty Dobrow wrote a piece on Marcus Camby and his life growing up, his time at UMass and subsequent 17-year NBA career. here's an excerpt:

They were all on hand that night -- his mom and his sisters, his wife and his daughters -- to see Camby's first start in a season slowed by foot injuries. They watched the lights dim, the sparks fly from the scoreboard, the lithe dancers prance wearing little buttons of red light. They heard the music blare, and PA announcer Mike Walczewski bellow, "a 6-11 forward from Massachusetts ... Mar-cus Cam-by!!!"

And there he was, the years melting away, skipping onto the court, chest and forearm bumping with the boys, his long fingers pointing to the rafters. Camby's female rooting contingent especially reveled in the third quarter, when he came up with one of his signature blocked shots, swooping down the lane and redirecting a Tim Duncan shot into the stands as part of an emphatic 100-83 win.

The same crew will be back in force this Saturday at the Mullins Center to see No. 21 retired at the University of Massachusetts. That might not be "the world's most famous arena" but it was, back in Marcus Camby's day, the setting for quite a riveting soap opera.

"People who follow UMass basketball talk about the glory years, the Cal and Camby years," said Derek Kellogg, the Minutemen's head coach and a teammate of Camby's for two seasons under John Calipari. "That was the pinnacle of UMass history."

Marcus Camby on Fox Sports Radio 1410 in Hartford

By Brian Henry on January 16, 2013 12:27 AM | No TrackBacks
UMass great Marcus Camby has been a popular interview request in the past week leading up to Saturday's big day as his #21 jersey will become the fifth to be retired in the Mullins Center. He will be a guest on Fox Sports Radio in his hometown of Hartford on Wednesday morning. You can hear the interview at 6:13 am and 8:13 am on 1410 AM. Click here to listen online.

Marcus Camby awed by honor

By Brian Henry on January 14, 2013 10:22 AM | No TrackBacks
Dan Duggan (@dduggan21) of the Boston Herald caught up with Marcus Camby last week and spoke with the 1996 National Player of the year about having his jersey retired this Saturday at halftime of the UMass-Duquesne game.


A decade later, Camby takes floor as Knick

By Brian Henry on November 11, 2012 9:23 AM | No TrackBacks
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com posted the following article on former UMass standout Marcus Camby and his return to the court on Friday. He had missed the tail-end of the preseason and the first three games with a calf injury but was healthy enough to log eight minutes in the win over the Mavericks.

Marcus Camby Rejoins The Knicks

By John Sinnett on July 10, 2012 9:39 AM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
The New York Knicks have acquired former UMass All-American Marcus Camby in a sign-and-trade deal with the Houston Rockets, according to multiple sources. The 38-year-old Camby will rejoin the team he played for from 1998-2002.

Camby, 38, agreed Monday to rejoin the Knicks in a deal that sends three players and two second-round draft picks to Houston, according to a person with direct knowledge of the move. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither team has announced the trade. Yahoo Sports reported that Camby's deal was for three years and $13.2 million with $10 million guaranteed.

Camby With Options As NBA Free Agency Heats Up

By John Sinnett on July 3, 2012 11:01 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Former UMass All-American Marcus Camby has plenty of options in the coming weeks as NBA free agency hits full stride. The unrestricted free agent who spent last season with Portland and Houston, has listed as many as six teams - Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs - on his list of places he would like to play for his 17th NBA season.


Marcus Camby, former UMass Minuteman, traded to Houston Rockets

By John Sinnett on March 19, 2012 10:07 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Chris Duncan of the Associated Press has a story on Marcus Camby being traded from Portland to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets also acquired Derek Fisher and a 2012 first-round pick from Los Angeles.

Camby Featured As One Of 100 Best Players In College Basketball History

By John Sinnett on July 5, 2011 6:17 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
BleacherReport.com has a listing of the 100 Best College Basketball Players of all-time including UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby. Camby was named the college player of the year in 1996 when he led the Minutemen to the Final Four, just a year after carrying his team to the Elite Eight.

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Feature On Marcus Camby From The Columbian

By Jason Yellin on April 19, 2011 6:17 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Columbian Newspaper in Washington has a feature on UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby. Check out some of the interesting comments from the story including the following:

"The clock is definitely ticking," said the 37-year-old Camby, now in his 15th season in the league. "And you got the lockout looming, there are a lot of factors. I try not to think about it, but these are the times where you really start to look over the course of your career and where you're at."

"I think about that '99 team (Knicks team that played in the NBA Finals) every day," Camby said. "It just shows that, once you get into the playoffs, anything is possible."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson recently acclaimed Camby's skill set, praising his "great mind for defense" and "knack for the game."

Continue reading Feature On Marcus Camby From The Columbian.

Camby Returns To Playoffs With Portland

By Jason Yellin on April 14, 2011 6:42 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby is back in the postseason with the Portland Trail Blazers, who will play the Dallas Mavericks. The best-of-seven series begins at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, with Game 1 Saturday, April 16 at 9:30 p.m. and Game 2 Tuesday, April 19 at 9:30 p.m.

Camby had an injured-marred season, but did play in 59 games with 51 starts for the Blazers. He finished with 4.7 points per game and 10.3 rebounds in 26 minutes per night. It was the ninth straight season he grabbed double-figure rebounds. Camby would have finished sixth in the NBA in rebounding, but did not play the minimum number of games to qualify for the rankings.

Calipari References Jack Leaman, UMass After UK Win

By Jason Yellin on March 26, 2011 7:52 AM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks
Following his Kentucky team's 62-60 win over Ohio State, which you can read about in the  Lexington Herald Leader, former UMass head coach and current Wildcats leader John Calipari made special mention on UMass legendary coach Jack Leaman and the 1995-96 team at UMass. Here is the question and Calipari's comment from the postgame.

QUESTION:  John, the balance you got out of the six players that played so much, offensively and defensively, how does it feel as a coach to get that kind of just straight team effort, it wasn't one guy, it was all six? And how have you built maybe over the course of this year to get to this point when it hasn't always gone perfect?

COACH  John Calipari: Well, the one thing about playing less players, they seem to become a better team. Jack Leaman when I was at UMass told me I was playing too many guys. He said, You have to play less people. Play six or seven guys. You will get a good team and my '95 team with Marcus (Camby), Carmelo (Travieso), Edgar (Padilla), Donta (Bright) and Dana (Dingle), we only played six guys that year and we were a pretty good team. What happened is like Terrence, I wanted Terrence early in the game to get Sullinger to go off screens and do stuff and drive Sullinger and that was a mistake. And he is not ready for that and that kind of screwed him up the whole first half. The second half he came back and played. That's growth. Earlier in the year when he played that way to start he could not finish the game. Brandon doesn't make a shot and then he makes that three, and then he makes the last shot of the game after missing all of those shots. That's growth. You're just not afraid to miss.



Camby Nearing Return For Blazers

By Jason Yellin on February 9, 2011 6:50 AM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby is closing in on a return to the court with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been out since having surgery on his right knee on Jan. 20. Read about on these various websites.

• USA Today: Trail Blazers Update

Camby Out With Knee Surgery

By Jason Yellin on January 19, 2011 3:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby will undergo knee surgery and be out of action with the Portland Trail Blazers. He will need arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Camby hurt his knee in Portland's victory Monday night over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team says an MRI exam was initially clear, but closer examination revealed a partial meniscus tear.

There is no timetable for Camby's return. His surgery has not yet been scheduled. The news came as the Blazers prepared to play in Sacramento Wednesday night.

Continue reading Camby Out With Knee Surgery.

Camby Rips Down 20 Rebounds For Blazers

By Jason Yellin on January 5, 2011 10:30 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby continues to play great for the Portland Trailblazers as he posted 10 points and a season-best 20 rebounds in an 84-81 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Camby is fifth in the NBA in rebounds per game 11.6 per game. He has at least 10 rebounds in 23 of his 32 games this season. He also had 20 rebounds vs. Utah last week.

UMass' Camby Vs. Forbes Tonight In Denver

By Jason Yellin on December 28, 2010 7:26 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
UMass products will be on the court together tonight in Denver as Gary Forbes' Nuggets host Marcus Camby and the Portland Trailblazers.  Camby's status is unclear for this contest after he left Monday's victory in the third quarter with a sprained ankle. The center had 12 rebounds with four points and three blocks versus Utah.

Follow the game on NBA.com.

Camby, Forbes Play On Christmas Day

By Jason Yellin on December 26, 2010 8:13 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
UMass' two products in the NBA both had a chance to showcase their skills to a national audience, playing in Christmas Day on ESPN. With the Portland Trailblazers, Marcus Camby returned to action after missing some games with an injury (shoulder). He started, scored seven points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 109-102 loss at the Golden State Warriors.

With the Denver Nuggets, Gary Forbes played 16 minutes off the bench and scored six points in a 114-106 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

UMass Hoops Insider Show (Dec. 17-18)

By Jason Yellin on December 17, 2010 6:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Check out the latest edition of the UMass Hoops Insider for the weekend of Dec. 17-18 with a preview of the UMass-UCF Game set for Wednesday night at the Mullins Center. We also have a profile of freshman Jordan Couture, a look back at the Marcus Camby-Tim Duncan match-up at the Mullins Center from 1995, an Alumni Spotlight of Pete Trow and the Hu Ke Lau Lighter Side takes a look at the team's best non-athletic talents.

Camby Rebounds To Post Double-Double Vs. Clippers

By Jason Yellin on December 7, 2010 5:22 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
After a scoreless night in his return to the Bay State last Wednesday in a loss at the Celtics and another at Washington last Friday, UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby posted a double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds for the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday night in a 100-91 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

For the season, Camby is averaging 6.1 points and 10.8 rebounds for the Blazers. He ranks sixth in the NBA in rebounding.

Camby's Blazers Top Forbes' Nuggets, 86-83

By Jason Yellin on November 19, 2010 7:24 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
In a match-up of former UMass stars, Marcus Camby and his Portland Trailblazers topped the Denver Nuggets and Gary Forbes 86-83 at the Rose Garden in a game televised nationally on TNT. More coverage with a photo of Forbes dunking on Denver Post.

Camby had 14 rebounds to go with five points and three blocks in 36 minutes. Forbes came off the bench for four points and two rebounds in 17 minutes.

Camby Vs. Forbes Tonight On TNT

By Jason Yellin on November 18, 2010 8:40 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Two former UMass Atlantic 10 Players of the Year will battle tonight on TNT as Gary Forbes and Denver Nuggets will take on Marcus Camby and the Portland Trailblazers at 10:30 p.m.

Here is a game preview from NBA.com also more coverage in these outlets:  The Oregonian and in the Denver Post: J.R. Smith loses playing time to Nuggets teammate Gary Forbes

SNY.tv: On Stoudemire's Night, Camby Stars

By Jason Yellin on October 31, 2010 9:49 PM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
Check out Adam Zagoria's story on SNY.tv about how former Knick and UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby stole the show from Amar'e Stoudemire in his home debut at Madison Square Garden.

"It was definitely electrifying," Portland center Marcus Camby said after the unbeaten Blazers beat the Knicks in a 100-95 victory. "I think Amar'e has brought a lot of excitement to the city and they're adapting to [head coach Mike] D'Antoni's style. And I feel that this is a better product out there than they threw together the last couple years. I expect this team to do great things this year."

In the end, though, it was Camby, the 36-year-old former Knick, who helped spoil Stoudemire's first game as a Knick at MSG. As Stoudemire drove to the basket for a potential game-tying basket with 6.5 seconds remaining, Camby knocked the ball out of his hands, sending it out of bounds. The officials initially awarded possession to New York, but then overturned it and gave the ball to Portland.

Continue reading SNY.tv: On Stoudemire's Night, Camby Stars.

Camby Opens NBA Season With Double-Double

By Jason Yellin on October 27, 2010 11:23 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Playing as a UMass Hall of Famer for the first time in regular-season, Marcus Camby posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the Portland Trailblazers 106-92 win over Phoenix. Here are some stories on the Camby-Man.

• NBA.com:  Strong beginning

UMass' Camby, Forbes Battle In NBA Preseason

By Jason Yellin on October 22, 2010 11:51 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Last night in the NBA preseason, UMass products squared off in Portland as the Trailblazers and Marcus Camby beat the Denver Nuggets and Gary Forbes, 90-83. Camby started, played 34 minutes and had 17 rebounds along with eight points.

Forbes came off the bench to play 12 minutes and had six points and three rebounds. He looks closer to securing a roster spot for the regular-season.

Forbes Plays 22 Minutes In Nuggets Debut

By Jason Yellin on October 9, 2010 10:28 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Former UMass star Gary Forbes played 22 minutes in the Denver Nuggets' 109-99 win over the Portland Trailblazers and UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby. Forbes was the fifth man off the bench for the Nuggets as he pushes for a spot on the regular-season roster. He tallied three points, grabbed two rebounds and handed out two assists.

Camby was limited to just 2:21 of time, because of a groin injury, but is expected to be OK for the start of the year. Here is a recap from the Portland Tribune.

Camby No. 3 Defensive Specialist On Bleacher Report

By Jason Yellin on September 23, 2010 8:40 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Bleacher Report mentions UMass Hall of Famer Marcus Camby as the No. 3 Defensive Specialist in the NBA.

Mr. Reliable Marcus Camby continues to hit the boards as well as he has throughout his career. The former Minuteman of UMass has played with the same vigor and energy throughout his 14 year career. The former Defensive Player of the Year (2006-2007), Camby brought his high level D to Portland from L.A. and picked up for a team lacking a center due to injuries.

Camby can use his lanky wingspan and wiry strength to block shots and redirect them. His jump shot isn't the prettiest in the world, but he makes up for it by keeping his body around the rim. As long as he's healthy, Camby can to be an underrated player this year for the value he brings to a squad at the defensive end.

Hall Of Famers, Including Camby, To Be At Football Game

By Jason Yellin on September 11, 2010 12:46 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The 2010 UMass Hall of Fame Class of Marcus Camby, Bill Gillin, Scott Hiller, Sarah Jones and the family of the late Bob Pickett will be on hand at the UMass-Holy Cross football game on Saturday at 6 p.m. The legends will take part in the game's opening coin toss, prior to kickoff. 

Come out and show your support for the Hall of Famers.

Republican: Camby Still Going Strong

By Jason Yellin on September 10, 2010 10:45 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
On Friday night, UMass welcomed home Marcus Camby. Read Ron Chimelis' story in the Springfield Republican.

"I have great memories here, and entering the Hall of Fame is a great honor,'' he said. "Now I'm in the Hall of Fame with (former teammate) Lou Roe, John Calipari and my idol, Julius Erving. It's overwhelming.''

Continue reading Republican: Camby Still Going Strong.

Globe: Moving Tribute For Camby, UMass

By Jason Yellin on September 10, 2010 8:54 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Marty Dobrow of the Boston Globe has a tremendous story on Marcus Camby and his induction to the UMass Hall of Fame on Friday night.

From ESPN's First Cup this morning, "Tonight, perhaps, the past will finally be reclaimed. John Calipari will be back in the house for a ceremony inducting Marcus DeWayne Camby into the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame. 'He deserves it,' said Calipari, now the coach at the University of Kentucky. 'We were a top 25 [team] before he got there. He took us to the next level. We became No. 1 in the country.' 'It's a great feeling,' said Camby, who is now playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, his fifth NBA team. 'I'm excited to be recognized for my contributions.'

Continue reading Globe: Moving Tribute For Camby, UMass.

Gazette: For Calipari, Camby, Lessons Learned

By Jason Yellin on September 9, 2010 8:42 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
 Great story by Matt Vautour in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on new UMass Hall of Fame inductee Marcus Camby and his Minuteman coach John Calipari. Among the quote from Camby in the story are:

"I've followed it every year. I wish we could get back to the level we were at when I was there. Playing on these different NBA teams and being around these different players from other schools, I haven't had much to talk about at tournament time," Camby said. "I'm happy that Derek (Kellogg) is the head coach and that we have one of our own there running the program. Him being involved makes me want to be part of the program even more now."

"I feel fortunate to have made the NBA and to have made the amount of money that I have, and have the opportunity to give back. I've always been about kids and giving back," said Camby, who still wants to put his education degree to use. "Hopefully I'll be able to fall back on my education and become an elementary school principal."

Continue reading Gazette: For Calipari, Camby, Lessons Learned.

Camby Featured On Blog; UMass Amherst Facebook Nears 20,000

By Jason Yellin on August 9, 2010 2:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The UMass Amherst Blog has posted a great story on Marcus Camby and his nearing induction to the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 10.

The UMass Amherst Facebook Page is closing in on 20,000 fans, join the excitement today. Engage with the best of UMass including today's post on Camby's career at http://www.facebook.com/UMassAmherst. And become a fan of the Official UMass Amherst Facebook page for the latest news, discussion, and discoveries.

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