Cameron refreshed by “old school”, “intense” pre-season

Flynn Cameron is entering his second season with the Adelaide 36ers with a growth mindset and a willingness to learn.

Cameron enjoyed a breakout Hungry Jack's NBL26 campaign, winning the competition's Most Improved Player award and earning an NBA Summer League stint with the Portland Trail Blazers.

But with five-time NBL Championship winning coach Trevor Gleeson taking over at the Adelaide 36ers this season, Cameron is feeling fresh and capable of further improvement.

“I'd say just the intensity is ramped up,” he said on Thursday, two weeks into pre-season training.

“Also, because there's a new system (it feels new). I came into an environment last year where everyone kind of knew how to play. So, Ice (Isaac Humphries) was one of the leaders last year. He knew the system, so he could teach it.

“This year, the only person I know that knows (the system) is Bryce (Cotton), so everyone's just coming in fresh, new, with that learning and growth mindset.

“It's a good refresh, I'd say. We're gonna be a lot deeper this year. We're going to go to our bench a lot more, so the way we're playing is we're going to be picking up the ball, bringing a lot of energy and with that comes a lot of excitement too.”

Getting to know Gleeson has been enjoyable for Cameron too.

The veteran coach – fresh off two years coaching in Japan and a stint in the NBA before that – showed a glimpse of his personality as Cameron finished up his media duties on Thursday, walking past and joking the 26-year-old only hit his first three point shot of the training session when the cameras were rolling.

New Zealand international Cameron said he enjoyed Gleeson’s forthright style, which was familiar to him.

“He's the real deal, you know,” Cameron smiled.

“Obviously, by his resume, but then just by the way (he) is holding everyone accountable.

“It's real old school, he doesn't beat around the bush and I love it. That's how my dad coached me so, someone like that stepping into this role, I think is great for us.”

And while Gleeson’s resume is full of success, it appears to Cameron that there is no secret to it.

“I’d say it's just all the controllables,” Cameron said. “He hasn't really given insights, but he's just applying what his systems are.

“You're talking to a dude who's won, been at that pinnacle a lot of times, even with Bryce.

“He knows what winning looks like. He knows what success looks like. He knows what winning programs are like, he's built that down with Perth so he’s trying to do the same with Adelaide, (and) we all got to get on that bus.”

While he is back in Adelaide and fully focussed on NBL27, Cameron performed admirably in the NBA Summer League, catching the eye of NBA scouts by averaging 10.3 points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in just over 14 minutes of playing time.

It has given him confidence that he has what it takes to perform in the NBA, if the opportunity arises.

“I got a lot out of it, you know, going back over there,” he explained.

“I played college over there, so I got to go over there, experience it, catch up with old teammates at college that are now playing in the NBA.

“You know, at the end of the day, that's my goal, that's my dream, and that's where I want to get so it was good to just test myself, see where I was at.

“I think Summer League was like a great step in that, in that aspect, just as a confidence thing for myself.

“I’d say I just know that I can play at that level but then obviously, every day I'm still growing.”

And it’s that growth that he hopes to show once he and his teammates tip off the season proper against his old side, Melbourne United on September 19.