Spotlight on Cameron Rundles
Any player would be hard pressed to make the same kind of immediate impact as red-hot rookie Cameron Rundles.
When Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders coach Rob Paternostro was re-shaping his backcourt during the summer and looking to replace the likes of the hugely influential JR Blount, he could barely have hoped to find a player who would explode onto the scene with such gusto as the talented Rundles.
The guard is lapping up life during his first couple of months as a pro-player and has been central to some impressive early form from Riders, having made the last two BBL Team Of The Week line-ups. Not surprisingly, he is thrilled with the way things have gone so far.
“On the court it’s been great,” smiles Rundles.
“We’re undefeated in league play and we’re still alive in the BBL Cup and I hang my hat on winning basketball games. That’s all I want to do and so far, that is what is happening for the Riders!
“I love my team-mates so it’s always fun on the court and we hang out off the court as well! I think our chemistry is very strong and that comes from the relationship we have off the court and the competitiveness we all possess on it.”
Also central to the success of Rundles and the Riders is the instantly fruitful relationship he has forged with play-caller Rob Paternostro.
“Playing for Rob is a dream come true” explains Rundles.
“To play for a coach that played your position and really trusts you from day one with my decision making and everything else goes a long way. His emotion helps us and fires us up. Plus, he isn’t just like that on game day! During the week he is the same which really helps us get better in practice.”
He adds, “I’m also very emotional as well and play with passion so we relate in many ways and I just hope this isn’t the only year I’m in his backcourt.”
While it was a good start anyway for Rundles, his form has went through the roof ever since Drew Sullivan joined up with Riders and with the Great Britain captain also driving his team-mates on to excellence, it’s the perfect situation.
“The addition of Drew opened everything up for each guy on the court.
“His intelligence helps us tremendously and with all his experience, he understands all of our strengths and puts us in positions to play to our full potential.
“He’s a versatile player that can score, pass, dribble and can play multiple positions. He isn’t only a coach’s dream, he is a dream for a point guard like myself as well! I love playing with him because he doesn’t accept anything but the best and he makes me look good often!”
While Rundles waxes lyrical about all the Riders players, he also has special praise for second year pro Ayron Hardy who has also hit the ground running since his move to Riders and finished with the Molten Player Of The Month accolade for October.
“Hardy is a special player and I told him he owes me dinner for that award,” chuckles Rundles.
“I’ve never got the chance to play with a wing of his combined talents of height, wing-span and athletic ability before. He is a player that never goes unnoticed and at the end of the game when you check the stat sheet he always has about 17 and 12 with a few steals, assists and blocks!
“Even better are the little things he does which don’t show up on the stat sheet and that is what is so impressive about him.”
As for Rundles himself, nobody should really be surprised by the early good work since it’s reflective of the impressive time he spent during a College career which was split in two.
“I started off at the University of Montana where I was named Freshman of the Year and I transferred after my sophomore year to Wofford College in South Carolina with my best friend Jamar Diggs who plays in Germany right now,” explains Rundles.
“I had the opportunity to play in back-to-back NCAA tournaments which were bar none, still the two biggest games I’ve probably ever been apart of!
“I played combo guard there as well and I’ve played in front of crowds of 10 to 20,000 people in total sell-outs from the likes of Wisconsin and Michigan State to Pittsburgh, and BYU for example. My College experience was really positive and it prepared me for the pro level!”
When it comes to his home city and family life, Rundles is passionate about both and also sheds light on his sporting talents which could have taken him away from basketball.
“Growing up was great. I have 3 older sisters and 6 older brothers so I’m the youngest out of 10 kids! It’s been all different sports my whole life. Basketball and American football were the biggest and I had multiple Division 1 scholarship offers from both. But I also played baseball and golf.
“During the summers, I still play golf pretty often with my father since it’s my favourite sport to play. I also believe that mentally, golf has helped me out with my basketball game and I credit that to my father for introducing me to the game at the age of just five years old!
“My brothers pushed me in football and basketball. They always forced me to play with them and their friends so I got my toughness from there and my competitive spirit while my mother was the most inspirational person in my life.
“She always supported me, came to all my functions and when I didn’t play well she let me know about it and made sure I was back in the gym soon after! So I have my family to thank for my accomplishments!
“Meanwhile Minneapolis is definitely in my heart and blood forever. I follow the Vikings, Timberwolves and the Twins – all the Minnesota teams in fact.”
While the vibrancy Rundles has for life is infectious, he is also quick to point out that being able to excel and make serious choices in life at a young age are vitally important.
“My advice to any kid growing up in my own neighbourhood is that if you want to be successful, the first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself and look yourself in the mirror and ask ‘do I really want to be a basketball player’ or indeed whatever you may be want to be.
“You simply have to ask yourself that question.
“If the answer is yes, then when you come across all the peer pressures including the drugs, skipping classes at school, girls and general bad influences, they shouldn’t tempt you because you have to be that serious about making something out of yourself.
“I was serious about getting my school paid for and playing College and then professional basketball. So, no matter what, I wasn’t going to let anything stop that dream and it all started when I looked at myself in the mirror at a young age and said ‘I’m serious about taking my ability all the way!'”
