Top Duke Basketball Recruiting Prize Erupts in Season Opener

A year from now, Duke basketball signee Cameron Williams may well be the next great Cameron in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

St. Mary's Cameron Williams (1) during the Section 7 high school basketball tournament at Arizona Athletic Grounds on Jun 20, 2025, in Mesa. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The St. Mary's Catholic High School (Ariz.) Knights didn't tip off their regular season until this week. Evidently, their five-star senior forward, future Duke basketball player Cameron Williams, couldn't wait to begin displaying his prowess again.

ALSO READ: Duke Signee Bryson Howard Off to Blazing Start in Senior Campaign

Williams, a 7-foot-1, 210-pounder now checking in at No. 4 overall and No. 1 among power forwards on the 247Sports 2026 Composite, tallied 36 points in his squad's season opener on Monday night. And it was a winning effort, as the Knights defeated the visiting Prescott High School Badgers, 76-43.

Courtside Films recognized Williams' impressive performance by posting the following highlight reel on Tuesday morning:

7-foot Cameron Williams is a BIG guard! Duke commit went off for 36 PTS in his senior season debut 👀 @cameronwilliams_25 @wearesmhoops pic.twitter.com/I5hQqOhr6K

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) December 2, 2025

• "Cam possesses a unique set of tools you just don't find very often," Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, currently enjoying the services of a freshman centerpiece forward in former five-star recruit Cameron Boozer, noted about Williams at the end of the early signing period in November.

• "At 7 feet with the ability to guard one through five, elite shooting range, ball-handling ability, and connective playmaking, Cam impacts the game in so many ways. But what excites us most is how coachable and intelligent he is...

• "Cam's future is as bright as anyone's in the country, and we can't wait to get to work and help him maximize every bit of his potential at Duke."

Last season, Cameron Williams powered St. Mary's to a state championship, averaging 18.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 1.8 steals.

A projected one-and-done lottery pick, Cameron Williams has risen 29 spots in the rankings since this time last year. He's one of three early signees for Scheyer and the Blue Devils.

His company in the 2026 Duke basketball recruiting class includes another five-star prospect in Heritage High School (Texas) small forward Bryson Howard, son of one-time NBA All-Star forward Josh Howard.

Dec 2, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Florida Gators at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Duke's haul, also featuring a stock-rising 7-footer at IMG Academy (Fla.) in four-star center Maxime Meyer, stacks up at No. 5 overall in the country but still has a shot at climbing to No. 1.

Scheyer has landed the nation's top-ranked recruiting collection in three of his four cycles calling the shots as head coach. Those premier hauls include this season's cast of star-studded freshmen in Durham, highlighted by reigning ACC Rookie of the Week and ACC Player of the Week Cameron Boozer.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.