Pic credit: Indiana State Athletics

One thing I love to check first on the Eurobasket profile of a player when a professional team signs him is what University/College he played at. So when new Pro A team Fraport Skyliners announced their third import from North America with Cameron Henry (198-G-1999, college: Indiana St.), my face produced a big smile as I read Indiana State. Why was my mood so positive? Well Indiana State is the school where Larry Bird played at. He also happens to be my GOAT. When your from Boston it’s either Bill Russell for the older folk and Larry Bird for the next generation after. Lary Bird was no Michael Jordan, no Kobe Bryant, no Lebron James or no Magic Johnson. He was simply Larry Bird the greatest player to ever play the game in my eyes. Anything remotely affiliated with Larry Bird is fascinating to me. Next I check who I have interviewed from the school where the player played at. Surprisingly there has been no player that I have interviewed from Indiana State. Jake Odum and Jordan Barnes have played in Germany, but I never had had the pleasure. But as usual, I found a connection to Cam Henry via his old coach Josh Scherz who coached him 6 years at Lincoln Memorial and at Indiana State University. I actually have interviewed 4 of Josh Scherz’s players that played at Lincoln Memorial with Vincent Bailey, ex NBA player Emmanuel Terry (Josh Schertz was like a second father for me. He constantly reminded us to never remember the time, but the moment. You could always go to him for anything. He always tried to help you become the best version of yourself. He had so much trust in me and allowed me to perform. I benefited a lot from him and he did the same as well), Dorian Pinson who sadly passed away in a drowning accident in 2021 and Shaq Rombley. If there is one guy that knows his stuff about Cameron Henry then it’s Josh Schertz. Some guys that come overseas for the first time have problems getting adjusted to the team game, but the American seems to be destined to be on a path that the Fraport Skyliners dearly need. The first word that Josh Scherz came up when describing Henry is the magical word that every player would like to be affiliated with, but not always can. ‘He is a winner. Cam is just a tremendous competitor and an elite winner. Some guys play for stats, Cam plays to win’, warned Indiana State University head coach Josh Schertz. Some guys play for stats while others like Cameron Henry play to win is something the Fraport Skyliners dearly need in their quest back to the BBL.

Cameron Henry was born on March 8, 1999 in Chesterfield, Virginia. He began his basketball career at Lloyd C. Bird high school in Chesterfield. There he gathered all-conference, all-region and all-state recognition. In his senior year he helped his school win Class 5A state title and also won 2 5A South titles. He also heightened his game further playing AAU ball for River City Reign. He then played 3 seasons at Lincoln Memorial (NCAA2) where he won 2 SAC Regular season titles and one SAC title in 2020. The first impression doesn’t always have to be the best as Henry soon showed at Lincoln Memorial that he had serious game. ‘Back when I saw Cam in high school he was very weak physically but you could tell that he had a terrific innate feel for the game and that he had the ability to impact winning in a variety of ways’, stressed Josh Schertz. In his 3 years at Lincoln Memorial he played a total of 83 games. He show his ability to improve his scoring and assists input every season as he averaged 10.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 45.3%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 71.3% in his freshman season, 13.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 3.8apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 42.2%, FT: 80.2% in his second season and 15.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.3apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 52.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 66.3% in his junior season. He had a stellar high school career and seemed off the radar of NCAA schools. Did he have a chip on his shoulders there? ‘I think Cam has always played on good teams outside of his first year here at LMU. He won a HS State Championship in high school and multiple titles at LMU before helping lead us to our most wins here since 1979 and first postseason win since 2001. So I wouldn’t say he had a chip, but I do think because he’s played on really good teams and his not fixated on scoring it’s easy for him to get overlooked. His value isn’t always obvious to the uneducated basketball person’, warned Josh Schertz. Some of his best scoring games were 30 points against Coker, 28 points against UVA Wise, 27 points against Coloirado Mines, and 26 points against Mars Hill. He didn’t leave Lincoln memorial without leaving his mark as he achieved SAC All-Freshman Team -2019, All-SAC Defensive Player of the Year -2020, All-SAC Second Team -2020, 21, D2CCA NCAA D2 All-Southeast Region Second Team -2020, and NCAA Division II Final Four -2021.

The American then was rewarded by playing in the NCAA with Indiana State. He played a total of 60 NCAA games at Indiana State crowning his last year with a March Madness appearance. He also needed no adjustment time to the NCAA as he averaged 14.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 71.3% in his first season and 11.0ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.7apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 57.8%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 76.4% in his last season. He closed out his NCAA career with a bitter 89-88 loss to Eastern Kentucky University in the NCAA tournament where he had 12/6/8/2 stats while shooting 6/9 from the field. ‘It was a devastating loss to end our season, to come up one possession short of advancing will always stick with you if you’re a great competitor and he’s most certainly that. But I do think Cam and his classmates have laid the blueprint for the groups to follow as to what a Championship DNA looks like’. Stressed Josh Schertz. He scored in double figures in 38 games including 28 and 25 points against Valpo, and 25 points against Oklahoma and Belmont. He also didn’t leave Indiana State University without accolades picking up MVC All-Newcomer Team -2022 and All-MVC Third Team -2023. Josh Schertz and Cameron Henry had a long working relationship/friendship at 2 schools and so many memories. Could one even pick one moment that will forever be locked in the memory vault? ‘There wasn’t one particular moment per se but just enjoyed what a great teammate he was and how he was able to enjoy everyone else’s success not just his own’, said Josh Schertz.

So what kind of game will fans in Germany see from Cameron Henry who lists Kevin Durant as his favorite player? Just from his stats from school, one rapidly can come up with the description of versatility and Swiss army knife. ‘Swiss Army knife is the perfect description, he may not do anything at an elite level but he can do everything necessary to help your team find a way to overcome the competition. He’s the most unique player I’ve coached in my 25 years as a college coach, ‘commented Josh Schertz. When you can do so many different things, can one truly find the best offensive skill? ‘I think his biggest weapon is his passing and the wide variety of ways he can leverage that be it off drives, post ups, seam rolls’, stated Josh Schertz. The continuing development of his three pointer will be very interesting to observe in Frankfurt. He eclipsed the 40% mark once at Lincoln Memorial and in other years was in the high 30%. ‘Cam is a streaky 3 point shooter, but he doesn’t have to shoot to score or shoot to impact winning. I do think with the time he will have there his consistency as a shooter will improve. There is no question he’s more than capable’, expressed Josh Schertz. Frankfurt used to be one of the best defensive teams under Gordon Herbert, but have really suffered in recent years in this department. He could be that impact player on the defensive end that Frankfurt so dearly need. ‘Cam has great versatility as a defender, he’s capable of guarding 1-4 and has a unique combination of quickness, strength, intelligence and wingspan which allows him to take on a multitude of matchups’, commented Josh Schertz. He can do it all on the floor and what kind of guy is he off the court? That good citizenship is also something that not every player has, but Cameron Henry is a kid who definitely knows how to handle himself. ‘He once was in a grocery store line when an older gentleman who was ahead of him went to pay and his card was declined. As they started to void out his groceries Cam stepped up to the front of the line and paid the guys bill for him, ‘added Josh Schertz. One thing is for sure, I will be very impressed if he can duplicate that story being able to communicate without problems in Germany.