It was the misty days of 3 years ago today that, during a game between his Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs — back when Tim Duncan still patrolled the paint with fundamental precision for the Spurs and Derrick Rose actually bothered to play basketball — that Aussie phenom Cameron ‘Cam’ Bairstow had the HIGHEST SCORING GAME of his rookie year! More like Cam ‘Air’Stow ay!?
With his flaxen hair reminiscent of mighty Thor himself, the Golden Child of Australian basketball was put in to seal the win, with the Bulls only up 23 (fellow Aussie ledge Official: Patty Mills came out of the game, clearly afraid to be dunked on by Air Bairstow). And what Cammo did next will forever be etched into the annals of NBA Straya lore.
With 2 minutes and 13 seconds remaining, Air Bairstow — no doubt overcome with excitement to be appearing in only his 11th career game — proceeded to instantly foul Cory Joseph, miss a wide-open layup, grab a defensive rebound, then, following an E’Twaun Moore missed 16-footer, throw himself into the fray with a reckless abandon reminiscent of a young Mal Meninga… and Air Baristow not only scored two points, but HAMMERED a Thor-like thunderous yak on JaMychal Green and was fouled in the process!
That’s right: it was a bloody 3-POINT PLAY to seal a Chicago win from the young man whose looks are about on bloody par with a sunrise over the Daintree.
Big Cam may have the hair of a surfer who packs cones tighter than a Maroubra traffic cop or anyone from Adelaide named ‘Steve’, but he bloody well ended with a line of 3 points, 2 rebounds and one foul in those 2 minutes and 13 seconds… which made it the BEST GAME of his rookie year!
Yup, just a rookie season high for Air Bairstow! That’s more cooked than Harold from Neighbours that one time Madge went for a swim in the buff!
#ONYA Cam ‘Air’ Bairstow!
