AMHERST — He’s the tallest dance dad now. Or the best shot-blocking barber shop owner.

But most of the time, Marcus Camby, who visited the Derek Kellogg Basketball Camp at UMass Wednesday, is just enjoying being retired.

For now.

Camby still loves the game and expects it will be part of his future. He hasn’t decided at what level yet, but he’s hoping to get into coaching.

“I like the college game. I like the pro game,” Camby said. “I still feel like I have a lot to offer young kids and kids going into the NBA. We’ll see what happens.”

But after 17 years in the NBA, he’s enjoying taking a break with his 9- and 14-year-old daughters.

“I took these two-and-a-half years off to catch up with my kids. Being in the NBA you miss so much time,” he said. “I’m a dance dad, but I’m looking forward to getting back into coaching.”

Camby, 42, who lives in Houston, was in the area to visit his mother, who still lives in Connecticut.

“It let me come up here and show some love, see the great campus, reminisce and see a few friends,” said Camby, who answered questions and signed autographs for the campers.

He said having his former teammate Derek Kellogg in charge of the program has spurred him to be more involved.

“Finally one of our own is running the program. Derek and Nicole (Kellogg’s wife) are great friends,” Camby said. “Anything Derek needs, I’m just a phone call away.”

Camby spoke to the current Minutemen after talking to the campers.

“I just told them a little about coach and what he expects from them. Being an alum, we root for our own. I wanted them to know that we root for our own and that former players like myself are always in their corner.”

It’s been 20 years since he entered the NBA draft after his junior year at UMass.

“Walking around the campus, it’s changed so much from when I went here with all the different buildings. Route 9 is different,” said Camby, who marveled at the new practice facility he was sitting in. “They’re lucky, compared to what we had. UMass has done a great job.”

Camby, like many former athletes, made a pizza detour on North Pleasant St. on his way to the Mullins Center.

“I had to go to Antonio’s,” Camby said laughing. “I had pepperoni and sausage and steak and sausage.”

ALUMNI COLLECTION — Camby wasn’t the only alum in the building. In addition to Kellogg and Lou Roe, who work for UMass, Chaz Williams, Trey Davis, Terrell Vinson and Maxie Esho are working at Kellogg’s camp. Plus, older alumni Stephane Lasme and Jeff Viggiano, who both play professionally overseas, were in Amherst for a visit.

Hall of Famer Julius Erving, who is also a UMass alum, will speak at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Sunday at 1 p.m.

NOTES — Recent graduates Davis and Tyler Bergantino both signed professional contracts to play overseas. Davis will play in Denmark, while Bergantino is bound for Italy.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage

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