There’s been a lot of chatter about how Duke fans should feel about power forward Cam Williams.
Williams comes into Duke as the top-rated freshman, and there’s an expectation that he’s going to be a really good player for the Blue Devils. However, with Duke more veteran-led than in years past, it’s not crazy to say his role might not be as big as some of the other freshmen we’ve seen in recent years.
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Ultimately, Duke will have to decide whether it wants to lean on freshmen, a mix of both, or hand the keys to the veterans. Regardless, Williams should find a nice role in Durham, and there’s an expectation that he’s going to at least play well enough to find himself as a potential top-10 pick.
One draft analyst recently suggested that while he might not be a top-10 pick, there’s reason to believe that he could get there.
“PF Cam Williams, Duke (No. 10) – I get it. The positional size, intriguing athletic traits, and the shooting touch; it is all there, front and center with Cam Williams. I am intrigued to see how it looks at Duke this season. He did a lot of his work away from the basket in high school, shooting over the top of most players he stepped on the floor with.
“He played a little upright, oftentimes losing leverage, and he was an inconsistent rebounder and poor defender. Yes, Williams should play in the league. The traits are there. He is listed at 7-foot-0, and he does have shooting touch from beyond the arc. Does he progress enough with his game to warrant a top-10 pick? He could get there; the traits are unique and desired. For right now, though, in the 2027 NBA Draft he would be outside of my top-10,” Jamie Shaw wrote.
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How he plays in college basketball will obviously be the determining factor in how NBA teams feel about the young man. He doesn’t seem to be a polarizing player, at least in the sense that people realize how good he is.
However, he still seems to need to show something, unlike some other prospects Duke has had in years past.
