Arizona Still Well-Positioned After Five-Star Chooses Duke

Arizona missed out on its top target in the 2026 class, as a five-star power forward that the Wildcats had been pursuing throughout the cycle committed to Duke.

Nov 7, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd watches the game from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Utah Tech Trailblazers at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Throughout the 2026 recruiting cycle, Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd have been pursuing several of the nation's top prospects.

One of those targets was an elite five-star power forward recruit, and while the Wildcats had made his top three as of October 24, they ultimately fell short as the top-rated prospect chose Duke over Arizona on Friday.

Elite Five-Star Power Forward Picks Duke over Arizona

Arizona's top target for the 2026 class was Cameron Williams, a five-star power forward from St. Mary's High School in Phoenix, Arizona. However, on Nov 14, Rivals' Joe Tipton announced that Williams had committed to Duke.

NEWS: 5⭐️ Cam Williams has committed to Duke, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-11 power forward and top-10 recruit in the 2026 class chose the Blue Devils over Arizona and Texas. https://t.co/ElCAK9OSj8 pic.twitter.com/oc9zs6Hmfp

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) November 14, 2025

Williams had narrowed down his school list to just three programs about two weeks ago, naming Arizona alongside Duke and Texas. It came down to the wire, but the 6'11" forward prospect decided to leave his home state to go play for Jon Scheyer in Durham.

Losing out on Williams is a big blow for Arizona and Lloyd. The young power forward is one of the top-rated recruits in the country with Rivals' industry rankings listing him as the No. 7 overall player in the 2026 class, the No. 1 power forward prospect, and the No. 1 prospect from Arizona. 

Millennium Tigers guard Cameron Holmes (3) shoots the ball over Sunnyslope Vikings forward Cristian Simmons (4) during their Open Division boys basketball state semifinals game at Chaparral High School in Phoenix on March 5, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While both Rivals and 247Sports predicted Williams would choose Duke earlier in the week, it still seemed like Arizona had a chance to land him until the moment he made his decision. The Wildcats were the last program to host him on an official visit on Oct 17. However, despite their efforts, it wasn't enough to lure Williams away from the Blue Devils. 

Before his commitment, Williams spoke with Rivals about what he was looking for in a school. He explained that an electric environment, the chance to win a national championship, and the program's ability to prepare him for the NBA were all priorities.

Apr 2, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; A general view of the Arizona Wildcats and Connecticut logos at the Alamodome prior to the national semifinals of the women's Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

• ”A good environment; a school that’s going to get me the next level and just they’re going to max me out," Williams told Rivals. So, yeah, I just want to be ready for the next level, and I want to win. I want win a national championship. "

Arizona, on paper, has all of those qualities, but ultimately, it was Duke's positionless system that led Williams to choose the Blue Devils.

Nov 4, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches the play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the Dick Vitale’s Invitational game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

• "I liked their [Duke's] system probably the most because they play an NBA style of offense. They’re five-out and everybody’s guarding one through five. It’s positionless basketball, and that’s how it’s going to be at the next level. So that’s what I really liked about them. All the coaches there were cool.

Losing Williams will undoubtedly sting for Arizona over the next few days. However, the good news is that the Wildcats already landed four-star small forward Cameron Holmes earlier this week. With Holmes now part of the class and Williams heading to Duke, Lloyd and his staff will focus on some of the program's other top targets in the 2026 cycle.

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