View source for Pero Cameron

{{Short description|New Zealand basketball player}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name            = Pero Cameron
| image           = Pero Cameron MNZM (cropped).jpg
| image_size      =
| caption         = Cameron in 2019
| height_cm       = 200
| weight_kg       = 130
| team            = 
| league          = 
| position        = Head coach
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1974|6|5}}
| birth_place     = [[Tokoroa]], New Zealand
| high_school     = [[Whangarei Boys' High School|Whangarei Boys']]<br>([[Whangārei]], New Zealand)
| career_start    = 1992
| career_end      = 2010
| career_number   = 
| career_position = [[Power forward]]
| coach_start     = 2010
| coach_end       =
| years1          = 1992–1993
| team1           = [[Waikato Pistons|Waikato Warriors]]
| years2          = 1994–2000
| team2           = [[Auckland Stars|Auckland Stars/Rebels]]
| years3          = 1995–1996
| team3           = Ipoh Red Eagles
| years4          = 1999–2003
| team4           = [[Cheshire Phoenix|Chester Jets]]
| years5          = 2001–2009
| team5           = [[Waikato Pistons|Waikato Titans/Pistons]]
| years6          = 2003–2005
| team6           = [[New Zealand Breakers]]
| years7          = 2005–2006
| team7           = [[Banvit B.K.|Banvit]]
| years8          = 2007
| team8           = [[Mahram Tehran BC|Mahram]]
| years9          = 2007–2010
| team9           = [[Gold Coast Blaze]]
| cyears1         = 2010–2013
| cteam1          = [[Wellington Saints]]
| cyears2         = 2011–2012
| cteam2          = [[Gold Coast Blaze]] (assistant)
| cyears3         = 2014
| cteam3          = [[Waikato Pistons]]
| cyears4         = 2015
| cteam4          = Wellington Saints
| cyears5         = 2016–2017
| cteam5          = [[Gold Coast Rollers (QBL)|Gold Coast Rollers]]
| cyears6         = 2022
| cteam6          = [[Taranaki Airs]] (assistant)
| cyears7         = 2022–2023
| cteam7          = [[Brisbane Bullets]] (assistant)
| cyears8         = 2024–2025
| cteam8          = [[Ningbo Rockets]]
| highlights      = 
'''As player:'''
*9× [[List of New Zealand NBL champions|NZNBL champion]] (1995–1997, 1999–2002, 2008, 2009)
*[[New Zealand NBL Rookie of the Year Award|NZNBL Rookie of the Year]] (1992)
*[[British Basketball League]] champion (2002)
'''As head coach:'''
*2× [[List of New Zealand NBL champions|NZNBL champion]] (2010, 2011)
*[[New Zealand NBL Coach of the Year Award|NZNBL Coach of the Year]] (2010)
| FIBA_HOF_player = Pero-Cameron
| medaltemplates  = {{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{bk|NZL}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Oceania Championship]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2003 FIBA Oceania Championship|2003 Australia]] | }}
{{MedalSilver| [[2005 FIBA Oceania Championship|2005 New Zealand]] | }}
{{MedalSilver| [[2007 FIBA Oceania Championship|2007 Australia]] | }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]] | }}
}}
'''Sean Pero MacPherson Cameron''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=85%}} (born 5 June 1974) is a New Zealand [[basketball]] coach and former player. A [[FIBA Hall of Fame]] member, he [[captain (sports)|captained]] the [[New Zealand national basketball team|New Zealand Tall Blacks]] from 2000 to 2010, helping lead New Zealand to the semifinal of the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], earning an [[FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team|All-Tournament Team]] selection in the process.

== Professional career ==
=== New Zealand NBL ===
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Cameron played for [[Northland Suns|Mobil Marters Northland]] in the [[Conference Basketball League]] (CBL) where he won a championship in 1991.<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503448&objectid=10923719 SportRITE - Two good reasons for keeping our stars here]</ref> In 1992, Cameron began playing in the New Zealand [[National Basketball League (New Zealand)|National Basketball League]] for the [[Waikato Warriors]]. He went on to win 11 championships (the most in New Zealand NBL history – nine as a player, two as a coach), made the [[New Zealand NBL All-Star Five|league's all-star five]] seven times, and won [[New Zealand NBL Kiwi MVP Award|the Kiwi MVP award]] five times. During his career, he played for 11 seasons for the [[Waikato Pistons|Waikato]] franchise (played under all three names – Warriors, Titans and Pistons) and seven seasons for the [[Auckland Stars|Auckland Rebels]].

{| class="wikitable"
|- align=left
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''NBL Championships''' (as player):
| '''9''' – [[Auckland Stars|Auckland]] (1995–1997, 1999, 2000), [[Waikato Pistons|Waikato]] (2001, 2002, 2008, 2009)
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |'''NBL Championships''' (as coach):
| '''2''' – [[Wellington Saints|Wellington]] (2010, 2011)
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Rookie of the Year Award|NBL Rookie of the Year]]:'''
| 1992
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL All-Star Five|NBL All-Star Five]]:'''
| 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Kiwi MVP Award|Kiwi MVP]]:'''
| 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Most Outstanding Kiwi Forward/Centre Award|Outstanding Kiwi Forward]]:'''
| 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Most Outstanding Forward Award|Outstanding Forward]]:'''
| 1998
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Rebounding Champion|Rebound Champion]]:'''
| 1993
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''[[New Zealand NBL Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]]:'''
| 2010
|-
|}

=== Australian NBL ===
Cameron played five seasons in the Australian [[National Basketball League (Australia)|National Basketball League]], two for the [[New Zealand Breakers]] and three for the [[Gold Coast Blaze]]. He played for both clubs in their respective inaugural seasons (Breakers in [[2003–04 NBL season|2003–04]] and Blaze in [[2007–08 NBL season|2007–08]]). In a total of 130 ANBL games, he averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.<ref>[http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=190396086&client=0-189-12317-125703-369911 Player statistics for Pero Cameron]</ref>

=== Overseas ===
Cameron played six and a half seasons overseas; one for the Ipoh Red Eagles of Malaysia in 1995–96, four for the [[Cheshire Phoenix|Chester Jets]] of England, one for [[Banvit B.K.|Banvit]] of Turkey in 2005–06, and half a season playing for [[Mahram Tehran BC|Mahram Tehran]] of Iran in 2007.

== National team career ==
Cameron was first selected for the [[New Zealand national basketball team|Tall Blacks]] in 1994. In 2000, for the Sydney Olympics, he became co-[[captain (sports)|captain]] of the side, and was elevated to sole captain the following year. His most memorable moment as captain of the Tall Blacks came in 2002 when the team stunned the basketball world by making the semi-finals of the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], eventually losing to Germany for fourth place. In the tournament, Cameron averaged 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game and became the only non-[[NBA]] player to make [[FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team|the All-Tournament Team]]. He was joined on this team by established NBA superstars [[Dirk Nowitzki]] and [[Peja Stojaković]] and NBA rookies-to-be [[Yao Ming]] and [[Manu Ginóbili]].

Cameron retired from international duties having played in two [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]] ([[Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Sydney 2000]] and [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]]) and three [[FIBA World Cup]]s ([[2002 FIBA World Cup|2002]], [[2006 FIBA World Cup|2006]] and [[2010 FIBA World Cup|2010]]).

In August 2017, Cameron became the first New Zealander to be inducted into the [[FIBA Hall of Fame]] as a player,<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/95940532/tall-blacks-legend-pero-cameron-first-new-zealander-to-make-fibas-hall-of-fame Tall Blacks legend Pero Cameron first New Zealander to make Fiba's Hall of Fame]</ref> with the official ceremony occurring on 30 September 2017 in Switzerland.<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/97430405/pero-cameron-inducted-into-fiba-hall-of-fame-as-family-celebrate-with-a-haka Pero Cameron inducted into FIBA Hall of Fame as family celebrate with a haka]</ref>

== Coaching career ==
Cameron began his [[basketball coach|coaching]] career with the [[Wellington Saints]] in [[2010 New Zealand NBL season|2010]], going on to lead the club to a sixth NBL championship and winning the Coach of the Year award in his first year. He led the Saints to a second consecutive championship in [[2011 New Zealand NBL season|2011]] and subsequently joined the Gold Coast Blaze's coaching staff as an assistant in [[2011–12 NBL season|2011–12]].

In June 2011, Cameron was named an assistant coach of the Tall Blacks.<ref>[http://tvnz.co.nz/basketball-news/cameron-takes-tall-blacks-coaching-role-4228392 Cameron takes Tall Blacks coaching role]</ref>

After two more seasons as the Saints' head coach, Cameron joined his beloved Waikato Pistons as the team's head coach/player development manager for the [[2014 New Zealand NBL season|2014 season]].<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/9434939/Cameron-a-man-Pistons-can-look-up-to Pero Cameron the man Pistons can look up to]</ref> However, in November 2014, the Pistons pulled out of the [[2015 New Zealand NBL season|2015 season]] due to financial reasons and he subsequently returned to the Saints head coaching position on a one-year deal on 14 January 2015.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/64918227/pero-cameron-to-return-as-wellington-saints-coach-for-nbl Pero Cameron to return as Wellington Saints coach for NBL]</ref>

On 9 December 2015, Cameron joined the [[Gold Coast Rollers (QBL)|Gold Coast Rollers]] as the men's team head coach for the [[2016 Queensland Basketball League season]].<ref>[http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/pero-cameron-accepts-the-job-of-coach-with-the-gold-coast-rollers-for-next-qbl-season/news-story/ed19b8094c7a2637a202cec12b6ae22a Pero Cameron accepts the job of coach with the Gold Coast Rollers for next QBL season]</ref> He continued on as coach of the Rollers in 2017.<ref>[http://www.cairnspost.com.au/the-futures-looking-reel-bright-for-adekponya-on-the-gold-coast/news-story/1916eca70c0350c2e56463186d972695 The future’s looking reel bright for Adekponya on the Gold Coast]</ref>

In December 2019, after eight years of being an assistant, Cameron was appointed head coach of the Tall Blacks.<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/118080594/kiwi-hoops-legend-pero-cameron-likely-to-get-nod-as-interim-tall-blacks-coach Kiwi hoops legend Pero Cameron likely to get nod as interim Tall Blacks coach]</ref><ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/118106741/new-zealand-basketball-legend-pero-cameron-confirmed-as-new-tall-blacks-coach New Tall Blacks coach Pero Cameron says he'll ask Steven Adams to end his exile]</ref><ref>[https://nz.basketball/proud-and-humbled-pero-cameron-named-as-tall-blacks-head-coach/ PROUD AND HUMBLED PERO CAMERON NAMED AS TALL BLACKS HEAD COACH]</ref> In September 2021, he was reappointed Tall Blacks coach for three years.<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/300415935/kiwi-hoops-legend-pero-cameron-confirmed-to-remain-as-tall-blacks-head-coach Kiwi hoops legend Pero Cameron confirmed to remain as Tall Blacks head coach]</ref>

In October 2021, Cameron signed a one-year deal to be director of basketball for the [[Taranaki Airs]].<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/sport/300424213/tall-blacks-coach-scores-role-with-taranaki-mountainairs Tall Blacks coach scores role with Taranaki Mountainairs]</ref> He also served as the team's assistant coach in [[2022 New Zealand NBL season|2022]].<ref>[https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/NZN/2026810/bs.html Tuatara vs Airs]</ref>

In December 2022, Cameron was appointed assistant coach of the [[Brisbane Bullets]] for the rest of the [[2022–23 NBL season]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brisbanebullets.com.au/news/pero-cameron-joins-bullets-as-assistant-coach|title=Pero Cameron joins Bullets as Assistant Coach|work=brisbanebullets.com.au|date=27 December 2022|access-date=28 December 2022}}</ref> He parted ways with the Bullets following the season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pike|first=Chris|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nbl/boomers-boss-linked-with-new-gig-brisbane-keen-to-put-frustrating-season-to-bed-nbl-talking-pts/news-story/d1a0c3731f9c2d2ffe8815b8af54ade1|title=Boomers boss linked with new gig; Brisbane keen to put 'frustrating' season to bed: NBL Talking Pts|work=foxsports.com.au|date=24 February 2023|access-date=7 March 2023|quote=Things have been just as eventual now in the weeks after the season with Melbourne United assistant Justin Schueller named the new head coach while assistants Peter Crawford and Pero Cameron have moved on.}}</ref>

In August 2024, Cameron parted ways with the Tall Blacks after five years as head coach.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tall Blacks Farewell Pero Cameron As Head Coach {{!}}Basketball New Zealand |url=https://nz.basketball/tall-blacks-farewell-pero-cameron/ |access-date=20 August 2024 |work=nz.basketball |date=8 August 2024 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== Personal life==
Cameron's mother, Mata, from the [[Māori people|Māori]] [[Ngāpuhi]] [[iwi]],<ref>{{cite news |last= Smith|first= Tony |date= 12 February 2021|title=Māori Sports Awards: Lisa Carrington judged most influential Māori sports star since 1991|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/124220066/mori-sports-awards-lisa-carrington-judged-most-influential-mori-sports-star-since-1991|website=stuff.co.nz|work= |location=|access-date=12 February 2021}}</ref> is an ex-New Zealand representative and a long-time coach of New Zealand age groups. His father is Scottish.<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=147856 Kiwi Olympians: Pero Cameron]</ref><ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=104392 Basketball: Auckland win battle to re-sign Cameron]</ref> His sister, Jody, is a former Tall Fern, and represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games in Athens 2004.<ref>[https://olympic.org.nz/athletes/jody-cameron Jody Cameron – olympic.org.nz]</ref> His brother, [[Ray Cameron|Ray]], is a former Waikato Titans/Pistons player. His other sisters, Jeannie and Zeta, also played basketball at a high level.<ref>[https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/pero-cameron-big-man-big-impact/ Pero Cameron: Big man, big impact]</ref>

Cameron and his wife Jennelle have three children.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/local-sport/3149942/Pero-Cameron-heading-in-a-new-direction Pero Cameron heading in a new direction]</ref> His sons, Tobias and [[Flynn Cameron|Flynn]], were part of the NZ Junior Tall Blacks team that competed at the [[2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup]].<ref>[http://www.fiba.basketball/world/u19/2017/news/wynyard-among-four-big-junior-tall-blacks-for-cairo-2017 Wynyard among four big Junior Tall Blacks for Cairo 2017]</ref> Flynn is a member of the Tall Blacks senior team for the [[2023 FIBA World Cup]], which is coached by his father.

== Honours ==
* [[FIBA World Cup]]'s [[FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team|All-Tournament Team]] – [[2002 FIBA World Cup|2002]]
* Maori Sportsman of the Year – 2002
* Sparc Leadership Award – 2003
* [[Commonwealth Games]] {{silver medal}} – [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006]]
* [[Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for services to basketball – [[2011 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2011 Queen's Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Jeffries|first=Rob|title=Basketball: Former Jets skipper Pero Cameron honoured by Queen|url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/other-sport/basketball-former-jets-skipper-pero-5192046|work=ChesterChronicle.co.uk|date=15 June 2011|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Worthington|first=Sam|title=Pero Cameron gets Tall Blacks promotion|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/5147605/Pero-Cameron-gets-Tall-Blacks-promotion|work=Stuff.co.nz|date=16 June 2011|access-date=29 January 2015}}</ref>
* Inducted into [[FIBA Hall of Fame]] – 2017

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.fiba.basketball/hall-of-fame/Pero-Cameron Pero Cameron] at the [[FIBA Hall of Fame]]
* {{FIBA|new_id=134206|old_id=34864}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|pero-cameron}}
* {{NZOC|pero-cameron}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090611225053/http://www.basketball.org.nz/news/300-coming-up-for-pero/ Cameron's 300-game milestone]

{{Navboxes
| title = Cameron's awards and honors
| list1 =
{{New Zealand NBL Kiwi MVPs}}
{{New Zealand NBL Most Outstanding Forwards}}
{{New Zealand NBL Most Outstanding Kiwi Forward/Centres}}
{{New Zealand NBL Rebounding Champions}}
{{New Zealand NBL Rookies of the Year}}
{{New Zealand NBL Coaches of the Year}}
{{2000 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2004 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2006 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{FIBA Hall of Fame}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Pero}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2002 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:2006 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:2010 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:Auckland Stars players]]
[[Category:Bandırma B.İ.K. players]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Cheshire Jets players]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in basketball]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand]]
[[Category:FIBA Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Mahram Tehran BC players]]
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate basketball people in Australia]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate basketball people in England]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate basketball people in Iran]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate basketball people in Malaysia]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate basketball people in Turkey]]
[[Category:New Zealand Māori sportspeople]]
[[Category:New Zealand men's basketball players]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Ngāpuhi people]]
[[Category:Olympic basketball players for New Zealand]]
[[Category:People educated at Whangarei Boys' High School]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Tokoroa]]
[[Category:Waikato Pistons players]]
[[Category:Waikato Titans players]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Iranian Basketball Super League players]]