Durham has a new knight in shining armor! The No. 4 overall player and the No. 1-ranked power forward prospect in the Class of 2026, Cameron Williams, has been one of the most sought-after players in the country, chased hard by Arizona and Texas. But rejecting their offers, Williams has finally fulfilled his “childhood dream.”

Hailing from Phoenix St. Mary’s, the 6-foot-11 star with a 7-foot-1.5 wingspan, has officially committed to Duke, announcing his decision live on CBS Sports HQ with his friends and family in attendance, and he couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds now.

“I felt like the coaching staff truly believed in me,” Williams said in an interview after announcing his commitment to the Blue Devils. “I feel like they see me coming in and producing a lot and having a big role. It’s been a childhood dream since I was little to play for Duke. It’s just exciting. I can’t wait.”

Williams’ rise this year has been nothing short of explosive. He started the spring ranked at No. 30 in the country. But with his size, athleticism, and ability to finish at the rim, he quickly climbed up into the top five. “They said ‘no’ to a lot of guys in my class, so they could get me. That really meant a lot to me. Just the belief in me…I am going to impact winning. I hope to bring a National Championship to Duke,” Williams added.

Defensively, Williams is a wall that can’t be moved. On the 3SSB circuit, he averaged 3.3 blocks per game. And when it comes to rebounds in traffic, he averages 8.5 boards a night, with 2.4 of those coming on the offensive end. Talking about his fit within the team, Williams said, “Duke has everything I need to develop. They laid out a detailed plan on how I would fit. Offensively, they play a five-out system, and they see me on the perimeter using my skill, shooting ability and versatility — but I will go inside when I have the advantage. Defensively, I can switch and protect the rim.”

With this, Cameron Williams becomes Duke’s third commit in the 2026 class, joining Bryson Howard, son of NBA star Josh Howard, and Maxime Meyer. No. 2 overall recruit Jordan Smith is also currently considering Duke among Arkansas, Georgetown, and Kentucky. But with already two 5-star commits in their 2026 class, Smith’s addition would make them a threat that can’t be stopped. But for now, Duke’s future looks as promising as ever as they continue to dominate the 2025-26 NCAA season.

The Blue Devil Nation is ecstatic, but some are worried about the old story

Duke fans are buzzing right now, and honestly… who’s surprised? This is Jon Scheyer we’re talking about. The guy has turned recruiting into something of an art form. Just last year, he dropped another monster haul, his third No. 1 class in four years, per 247Sports. At this point, it’s almost routine. Scheyer has stacked four straight top-two classes: the best groups in 2022 and 2024, and the second-best in 2023. Ever since he joined Duke’s coaching staff, the Blue Devils haven’t dipped below a top-three recruiting class. It’s like he flipped a switch and decided Duke’s pipeline should run at full throttle forever.

And it boils down to how easily players connect with him and his vision. As Patrick Massaroni once said, “Jon, for his age, has the ability to connect to the high school kids today. He played at Duke, won at Duke and bleeds Duke … he’s very communicative“.

And so fans said,  “John has to be stopped man! This mfer recruits his ass off” and “People may bash Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer but NOBODY questions his ability to recruit … the man is simply unparalleled when it comes to recruiting. He just landed Cameron Williams. He never stops …..”

Another heaped praise upon his program, writing, “Duke is another level then Arizona“. Last year’s run already gives you a clue. But Duke’s dominance isn’t just about what happened in one season. They’ve built a machine, a culture that keeps rolling no matter who’s on the sideline. The 2024–25 squad was literally the first Duke team without a single regular rotation player from the Coach K era… and they still went 35–4.

And when you zoom out, the résumé is ridiculous.

• Duke sits fourth in all-time wins among men’s NCAA programs. They’ve hung five national championship banners, marched to 18 Final Fours, and hold the best NCAA tournament winning percentage ever at .755.
• They have had eleven National Players of the Year, 72 NBA Draft picks, and six No. 1 overall selections (more than anyone else). Add 36 All-Americans (with 60 total selections) and 14 Academic All-Americans.
• Conference-wise, Duke has ruled the ACC with 23 tournament titles and 21 regular-season crowns. Before the ACC era, they even dominated the Southern Conference with five championships. They’ve been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll eight different seasons and have spent more weeks at No. 1 than any program in history (145 in total).
• And that famous AP Top 25 streak? Two hundred consecutive appearances from 1996 to 2007, the third-longest ever.

For those very reasons, there have been plenty of players who have chosen Duke over programs like Arizona. There were the five-star small forward Jalen Johnson, Javin DeLaurier, R.J. Barrett, Paolo Banchero, etc. However…

“Cameron Williams is unlike any Duke players I can think of. Different kind of weapon for Scheyer,” said one fan, and another explained: 

“The main reason I feel good about Cameron Williams is that, one, his first name is impressive, and two, he wants to reach the next level. Duke has an unmatched track record in this regard, boasting a roster of talented players and a consistent pipeline to the NBA. Scheyer has committed to development even more in the off-season. While he is from Arizona, Duke provides an opportunity to continue his journey with his key requirements met, as there is a clear opening for him, as Cameron Boozer is a clear one-and-done player. I have felt good about this one, and for what it is worth, Coach Scheyer himself flirted with the Wildcats back in the day on his recruitment before choosing Duke, so he can be relatable in discussions involving the two and keep it real“. 

Well, no wonder people compare Williams to Evan Mobley and Jaden McDaniels. He moves like a smaller player and is surprisingly smooth in tight spots. He can switch across lineups, slide with guards when needed, and still be the main rim protector. That’s really where he shines. Blocking shots, disrupting pick-and-rolls, and using his length to erase mistakes. Adding to that, he doesn’t shy away from contact and keeps his balance even when bumped, and once he adds strength, his whole game should level up in a big way.

However, in direct contradiction, one said, “

Well, there’s personal history for Duke to worry about as well.

Some fans are nervous because they’ve seen this pattern before during the later years of Coach K. There was a stretch when he leaned on older, experienced groups and kept losing top recruits to schools like UNC and Kentucky. Then he flipped the script and built Duke into a full-on NBA pipeline.

But even with all that talent coming through, the results weren’t as dominant as the earlier decades of his career. Since landing Kyrie in 2010–11, Duke made only one Final Four and won one national title, which sounds solid until you stack it against the rest of his legacy: five championships and a dozen Final Fours over nearly 40 years. For a coach with that résumé, the last era was easily the quietest. A lot of younger fans look back and feel like Duke didn’t always get everything out of those stacked rosters.

That’s where the current anxiety around Jon Scheyer comes from. People worry the story might repeat itself. That narrative (“they recruit great, but don’t win enough”) sticks fast, especially online. And it doesn’t help that one of the lingering issues under Scheyer, and something analysts point out often, persists. It’s that Duke hasn’t always had the most stable or experienced guard play.

It remains to be seen whether Jon Scheyer can bring the most out of his ranked rosters.