On Saturday, June 18th, the first 11 people were inducted into the Scottish Basketball Hall of Fame, including 3 people from our disability sporting community. On a night of celebration, these incredible individuals were recognised during basketballscotland’s 75th anniversary dinner.
Throughout the decades, Scots have been successful in basketball across the world. Performing in the NBA, the Olympics and Paralympics. The Hall of Fame recognises the achievement and effort of those at the highest levels of the game.
Meet the 2022 Inductees
Willie Cameron
Willie Cameron is another who has devoted their life to basketball. And continues to do so. In fact, Willie credits his introduction to the game to our last inductee, Sam Dunn. In his own words: “My Basketball journey began in 1964 when coach Sam Dunn brought me as an absolute beginner to the powerful Pearce Institute club in Govan. I was fortunate to develop under the tutelage of Sam and the watchful eyes of the club’s senior international players.”
A move to Penilee (which later became Paisley Basketball Club) saw Willie Cameron gain national league experience and develop under the watchful eyes of Norrie McCrae and Ron Mather. Next, it was down to London to join up with Crystal Palace and experience domestic success and European Cup action.
National honours beckoned. A debut versus Iceland in 1969 was the first of 55 caps over the next decade. There were also 25 GB caps including performing at Olympic qualifying tournaments in 1972 and 1976.
On his return to Scotland, Willie continued playing for Paisley Doigs until injury ended his playing days.
Forty years ago Willie teamed up with James (Mickey) McKechnie to set up what became Glasgow City Basketball Club. Operating from the East End of Glasgow this club and the charity they also set up continues to have an amazing impact on the local community.
Showing the inclusivity of basketball, Willie has sent teams to the Special Olympic World Games and continues to provide opportunity for those with learning disabilities to get active. Willie has given an incredible amount back to a game that gave him so much.
Gary Davidson
Gary Davidson has had a spectacular wheelchair basketball career and continues to be heavily involved in the game.
Gary first played the sport aged 12, he was an international by 15 and went on to amass an impressive 89 caps for Great Britain. This included an appearance at the 1984 Paralympic Games where he shot the winning basket against France, the defending champions.
In the club game, Gary starred for a number of clubs, including Team Thistle, Birmingham Bullets, Dublin Celts and West of Scotland Wheelchair Sports Club. His career included. Whilst playing with West of Scotland, they won the “international spitfire” tournament in Canada. To this day, Gary remains the tournament’s Top Points Scorer.
A talented sportsman who also competed internationally at swimming, table tennis and wheelchair rugby 7s, Gary has had an enormous impact on wheelchair basketball. Not just through his playing career, or just in Scotland with his current role at Glasgow Rollin Rocks and coaching in the National Academy, Gary was also integral to establishing wheelchair basketball in the country of Georgia.
Calum Gordon
Relatively late to the sport, Calum Gordon was quickly identified as a player with great potential. Starting with Team Thistle, he moved to Sheffield Steelers and was called up to the GB team for the Paralympic Games in Seoul. Here he won the first of his 104 officially recognised caps, although there are several more from additional tours with GB.
After Seoul, Calum played in a further 2 Paralympic Games, winning silver at Atlanta in 1996. He has also won a silver at a World Championships and 5 medals from European Championships. On an individual level, Calum was selected in the World All Star Squad in 1996 and won the British Wheelchair Premier Division MVP 3 times. Whilst playing with Sheffield Steelers, Calum won the Premier Division title on at least 5 occasions. With Steelers, Calum also had success in European Competition, winning the Champions Cup in 1994 and finishing second in 2002.
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