Like most of Xavier’s bigs, the key for Cam’Ron Fletcher is staying healthy.
Cam’Ron is a name that, for people of a certain age, conjures up a rapper from the Dipset. This is not that guy. (Also, that Cam’ron is 48 if you wanted to feel old). This Cam’Ron is also somewhat more famous for his off the court activities, as he was once romantically linked with WNBA star Angel Reese. What matters to us though is not if he can shoehorn two decade old rap lyrics into his pressers* or who he spends his free time with, but what he has done when he has gone to the court.
What Cam Fletcher has done on the court thus far in his college career is be good, then get hurt. In the only season he played more than 10 games, Fletcher averaged 6.8/3.4/0.9 for Florida State. In his best season Fletcher played in 10 games and averaged 10.8/7.5/1.1 in almost 30 minutes per game. Then he got hurt. That was his sophomore year. Fletcher also ended his junior and senior seasons with knee injuries. All the girls did not see the boy all that often.
When not hurt Fletcher has shown flashes of being able to some grand standin’. Cam went for 16/10/1 against UNC and followed that up with 17/8/1 against Clemson his junior year. When his game is right, he’s tough. His defensive rebounding rate his junior year was 24.1%. That’s just erasing possessions on the glass. Last season that, somehow, went up to 27.4%. His offensive rebounding rates aren’t nearly as high usually, but he’s not afraid of mixing it up on that end either. Unfortunately, sample size warnings apply to all of that, because the man just can’t stay healthy.
When Fletcher does stay healthy he has “just game, Cam.” But, and you’ll recognize this already, those instances are few and far between. That excellent sophomore year Fletcher had a 100.8 offensive rating. That’s weighed down by a turnover rate that one hopes the Xavier staff can clean up. If there really ain’t no stoppin em’ (last Oh Boy reference, I promise), Fletcher can somewhat atone by being an above average three point shooter for a power forward.
Fletcher profiles as the kind of guy who plays better the more he plays. His knees profile as the kind of knees that get worse the more they are used. Along with Zach Freemantle, Jerome Hunter, and John Hugley, he’s a Xavier big that can be excellent when his body lets him and is always one step away from a season ending injury. He’s an excellent defender and rebounder with some offensive upside. He’s also done the same ACL twice.
What will Cam ultimately offer this season? Sean Miller says, “We’re going to really err on the side of patience, caution, and rely on our team of doctors and our strength and conditioning team to make sure that he is as close to 100 percent as we can. I’m confident he is going to make a full return back to the court at some point. We believe in his talent level, we love his competitive spirit, and we believe when he makes a full return to the court that he’s going to impact our program in a significant way.”
So far this preseason, he’s played. When he’s healthy, he’s a versatile weapon on both ends of the court. Cross your fingers, Xavier Nation, this is yet another guy for whom health is a paramount concern.
*I am definitely about to do that.