Why MSU Freshmen's Big Game Landed Him on NBA Radars

The Michigan State Spartans pulled off an impressive victory in front of the home crowd against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday night.

While MSU did not play its A-plus game, the Spartans made enough plays to keep the Razorbacks at bay and pick up what will likely be a crucial win come March.

Michigan State's Cam Ward, right, dunks as Arkansas' Nick Pringle defends during the second half on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“That was a big-time game for the beginning of November,” Tom Izzo said in his postgame press conference. “I’m not sure either team played great.”

Some Spartans had big nights against a good Arkansas team, freshman forward Cam Ward among them. He posted a double-double, scoring 18 points and bringing down 10 rebounds.

Michigan State Freshman Cam Ward off the bench against No. 14 Arkansas:

▪️18 PTS
▪️10 REB
▪️8-13 FG
▪️22 MIN pic.twitter.com/s9nRhy3L07
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 9, 2025

Fans have noticed that Ward has pro potential, and he may have put himself on NBA Draft radars with his performance.

Did Ward prove he can be an NBA player? Let’s break down his performance and why he might – or might not – have proven he can be a one-and-done.

Cam Ward's big night

Ward did all his damage on the interior, dunking everything in sight and fighting for rebounds underneath the basket. He showed off impressive touch on his layups and flashed the ability to post up and score in the paint.

He was effective as an off-ball cutter, getting to the dunker spot and finishing when the ball came to him. He knows his role with this Spartan team, and he has played it well in the first two games.

Nobody on the Spartans shot the ball well from the outside, and Ward’s three-point shot is still developing. NBA scouts will want to see that he can knock down shots from the outside, or at least show that his mechanics give him that potential.

Ward only took one three-point shot against Arkansas and missed it, so scouts did not get a good feel for his potential as a shooter on Saturday night.

He also picked up two steals, which shows his defensive instincts. If Ward wants to be an effective forward at the NBA level, he will have to hold his own against power forwards who can outmuscle him and small forwards who will be quicker and more athletic.

Overall, Ward may have caught scouts’ eyes, but he will not be on any 2026 NBA Draft boards. They will likely want to see what else he can do over the course of multiple years before evaluating his pro potential.

Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on how you think Cam Ward played, and if you think it put him on NBA radars when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.