ACC , Duke MBB

Duke’s Cameron Williams Battled a Virus and Lost Nearly 14 Pounds

Duke freshman forward Cameron Williams revealed that a virus knocked him out for about a week during preseason preparations and cost him nearly 14 pounds. He is feeling better but is still working to regain his weight and catch up on practice time. The update comes via Anna Snyder of The Fayetteville Observer.

What Williams said

The 7-footer was candid about the physical toll. He said he is trying to “build my weight back up” after dropping roughly 14 pounds, and that his goal is to get back to his old weight and catch up on what he missed.

Two things stand out:

  • The illness sidelined him for about a week during an important stretch of preseason work.
  • He is better but not fully back. The weight is still to be regained, and he is behind in practice reps.

Why the weight loss matters

For any player, a 14-pound drop from illness is significant. For Williams it matters more because of his frame. He is listed on the roster at 7-foot and about 215 pounds, so he was already a lean, slender big man. Losing that much weight takes a larger share of his body mass, and strength is already one of the main development questions for a young center.

College big men face physical contact every possession. Being lighter than usual can make that adjustment harder, particularly in a crowded frontcourt where freshmen are fighting for minutes.

He still made an impact

Despite the setback, Williams played 13 minutes in Duke’s 102-62 win over Belmont, and he made his time count:

  • He blocked a shot shortly after checking in, rejecting Belmont’s Isiah West.
  • He later threw down a two-handed dunk that drew a loud reaction from the Cameron crowd.

Those two plays suggest the athleticism and rim presence that made him a notable recruit are intact, even while he is still rebuilding his conditioning.

Where he fits

Duke’s frontcourt is deep. The roster has three 7-footers, including Patrick Ngongba II and fellow freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who was one of the standouts against Belmont. That makes the missed week more costly for Williams, since the minutes available in the rotation are limited.

Eleven Blue Devils played in the Belmont game, and coach Jon Scheyer said afterward that the starting lineup and rotation remain open. For a freshman trying to earn a spot, getting back to full health and strength quickly is the priority.

What to watch

  1. His weight and strength recovery over the coming weeks.
  2. His minutes in the next exhibition, at home against Tennessee on October 20 at 7 p.m. If his playing time increases, that suggests he is catching up.
  3. How he handles the physicality of larger, more experienced opponents.
  4. Return of the injured veterans. Guard Caleb Foster (ankle) and Drew Scharnowski (knee) sat out against Belmont, which will further affect how minutes are distributed.

Bottom line

Williams has already shown he can contribute while still recovering, which is encouraging. The challenge now is rebuilding his weight and getting back up to speed in a competitive frontcourt before the regular season arrives.