As the basketball offseason continues, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. On the men’s side, we’ve already looked at Kon Knueppel, Patrick Ngongba II, Isaiah Evans, Khaman Maluach, Cooper Flagg, Maliq Brown, Mason Gillis, Darren Harris and Sion James. Next up is transfer Cameron Sheffield:
As Duke basketball’s last addition this offseason, Cameron Sheffield rounds out the deep roster head coach Jon Scheyer has assembled for his third year at the helm. The Alpharetta, Ga., native comes over to Durham from Rice, where he played three seasons before missing all of 2023-24 due to injury.
While he stands at 6-foot-6, which is astoundingly one of the shortest heights on this year’s roster, Sheffield has shown a propensity for playing down near the rim, averaging 6.1 rebounds during the 2022-23 season. In addition, he is a more than serviceable shooter, going 37.3% from three in his last season with the Owls.
While he does not project to be a player who earns a lot of minutes this year, the senior can still provide solid minutes if his name is called upon, and will provide veteran experience for a squad that sports six freshmen.
Sheffield will most likely not be the primary target of an opponent’s defensive gameplan, granting him the opportunity to sometimes find himself wide open beyond the arc, especially when teams crash on one of the Blue Devils’ premier scorers. The Chattahoochee High School product has proved more than capable of cashing in on these chances, even in big time games. Check him out knocking down an open trey in the AAC tournament against UAB:
In addition to his impressive 3-point shooting ability, Sheffield is also able to use his frame and athleticism to get to the basket. During his final injury-free season, he shot a career-best 43% from the field, showcasing a development in his offensive game. Watch here as he works past a defender on the perimeter and finishes strongly at the basket:
The senior also can make an impact on the defensive end, as his frame allows him to disrupt passing lanes and come up with steals that lead to transition buckets. Take a look as he takes advantage of a misplaced pass and takes a steal all the way for an easy layup:
Sheffield will likely not appear every game on the court, but he has proven throughout his career that he is a more than viable plug-and-play option out on the wing. At the very least, he will be yet another weapon for Scheyer to deploy at any given moment as Duke chases its sixth national title.
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