Cam Williams arrives at Duke with the kind of résumé that turns heads before he ever steps on the floor. The 5-star recruit and top-ranked power forward in the 2026 signing class is stepping into a major role as a freshman, with expectations that he can fill the spot left behind by former Wooden Award winner Cameron Boozer.
But not everyone is ready to put Williams in the same elite draft tier just yet.
NBA analyst Jamie Shaw of On3 pointed to Williams’ defense and consistency as reasons he wouldn’t slot the Duke freshman inside the top 10 of the 2027 NBA Draft right now. Shaw acknowledged the appeal in Williams’ game, but he made clear that the production still has to catch up to the tools.
“I get it,” Jamie Shaw of On3 wrote. “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.”
Williams now gets a full season at Duke to make his case. He’ll have a chance to show it against some of the top teams in college basketball, and that stage could go a long way toward shaping where he lands in the 2027 draft. For now, though, the talent is obvious, the projection is still open, and the Blue Devils are counting on Williams to become their next standout.
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Duke Special Teams Could Decide More Than Fans Realize Early On
Dukes special teams group is taking on a bigger role than it might get credit for as the Blue Devils prepare for Tulane, with a few familiar and new faces settling into key jobs. Cosme Salas is expected to step in as the primary field goal kicker in place of Todd Pelino, while Kade Reynoldson is back as the starting punter and Jayden Moore is set to handle both punt and kickoff returns.
For a unit that can swing field position and finish drives, the early-season configuration matters for Dukes rhythm on both sides of the ball. The Blue Devils are lining up with a clearer picture of who will handle the kicking and return work, and how cleanly that group operates against Tulane could shape more than just one phase of the game. [Read more 🡒]