Going for it
MAAC Player of Year opts to decline using extra year of eligibility
Siena senior guard/ forward Manny Camper, the MAAC Player of the Year, is done with college basketball and is declaring for the NBA draft.
After the disappointment of an earlier-than-expected exit from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament, Siena senior guard/forward Manny Camper took a few days to think about his future.
He spoke with family and arrived at the same decision over the weekend that head coach Carmen Maciariello had been expecting for a while.
Camper, the MAAC Player of the Year, is done with college basketball and is declaring for the NBA Draft.
He made the announcement on Tuesday, one day after meeting with Maciariello.
“I just felt like I had a great four years here,” Camper said in a phone interview. “It didn’t end how we wanted it to and end up in the Dance (the NCAA Tournament), but I was able to accomplish a lot here. Last year, being MAAC first team and expanding on that and becoming Player of the Year this year and regular-season championships the past two years, I just feel like I’ve accomplished a lot here. Most importantly, I’m healthy, so this is the perfect time to try to accomplish my dreams and goals.”
The 6-foot-7, 216-pound Camper said he is signing with an agent, whose name he should announce in the next few days.
Camper had the option of returning to Siena by using the extra year of eligibility the NCAA granted athletes because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said he also considered transferring up to a bigger conference as a graduate transfer and playing immediately next season.
But Camper said it was most important to receive his bachelor’s degree in marketing this spring, especially for his mother, Kita.
“My goal is to start my career professionally,” Camper said.
He said there was a slight temptation to try to return to win a MAAC Tournament title. The Saints didn’t get that chance last year when the MAAC Tournament was canceled and lost as the top seed to Iona in the quarterfinals last Wednesday.
“That was a thought in my mind,” Camper said. “Definitely as a competitor you want to
come back, especially going out how we did, leaving in the first round. It’s hard. It’s tough to try to get over. At the end of the day, like I said, we Siena and I myself accomplished a lot in my time here. I wouldn’t say I’m content, but I’ll take that out on the next level in these workouts. I’ll use that as fuel.”
Camper tested the NBA Draft waters a year ago, but never got the chance to work out for teams because of the pandemic before withdrawing his name.
“I think there will be workouts, whether there are less people in each workout,” Camper said. “My goal is to get invited and just continue to stay disciplined and work hard, and I think the results will show in these workouts.”
Maciariello said he expected Camper would not return for another year.
“He played four years of college basketball and he’s going to graduate probably over a 3.0 (grade-point average),” Maciariello said. “Every year he got better and no need to stay in college when you want to go chase your dream. I can’t wait for him to do it. I’m excited for Manny and proud to have been his (head) coach for two years.”
When Maciariello arrived as a
Siena assistant in 2018 under Jamion Christian, Camper was a sophomore coming off an injury-hampered freshman year. He had no other offers coming out of high school in Chestertown, Maryland. Under Maciariello, he became a dominant player as Siena’s “power guard.”
He averaged 13.7 points and 10.4 rebounds as a junior and 14.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a senior.
Now he’ll try to become the second Siena player to appear in a regular-season NBA game, joining Edwin Ubiles.
“I hope he does,” Maciariello said. “I want him to chase his dream, just like he chased being the best player in the MAAC. And he proved he could do that, so why can’t he?”
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