Nuggets center Marcus Camby has marched with schoolchildren in Harlem, bought Christmas gifts for kids in New York City, given underprivileged youngsters in Toronto suite tickets to NBA games and received the 2004 Chopper Travaglini Award for his community work in Denver.
Among all his civic endeavors, going to Africa could wind up being his most rewarding experience.
Camby has joined numerous NBA players as instructors for the Basketball without Borders Africa camp at the American International School of Johannesburg in South Africa. The camp, which began Wednesday and ends Monday, includes 106 players ages 19 and under from more than 25 African countries.
Participants will receive instruction from NBA players, coaches and scouts, and will attend educational seminars.
“I have never been to Africa,” Camby said. “It’s always been a dream of mine. It’s a great opportunity. I get to touch lives of people from my homeland and my blood.”
Nuggets international scout Masai Ujiri, an African who has been involved in the camp since it began in 2003, and San Antonio general manager R.C. Buford are among the camp directors. Several former Nuggets will help Camby as camp counselors, including Houston’s Dikembe Mutombo, Los Angeles Clippers center Mamadou N’diaye and Detroit’s Darvin Ham.
Campers will share living quarters with their teammates and participate in seminars that promote education, leadership, character, healthy living and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
Footnote
The Nuggets signed free-agent guard Earl Watson on Wednesday.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
