Cameron Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and twin brother to fellow Duke freshman Cayden Boozer, arrived in Durham with impossible expectations. Naturally, he has delivered on the hype and then some.
One of the winningest high school players in recent memory, Boozer has continued apace at the college level. Cooper Flagg is a tough act to follow, but by just about every metric, Boozer has enjoyed an even better freshman season. Just 18 years old, he is the most dominant force in the country and the hub through which all of Duke's offense runs. We are witnessing the ascent of a very special player.
Who is Cameron Boozer?
Position: Power Forward
School: Duke
Height: 6'9
Weight: 235 lbs.
Draft Age, Class: 18, Freshman
Offensive Role: Frontcourt Playmaking Hub
Defensive Role: Roamer
Boozer is one of the youngest prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft class, which makes his sustained dominance all the more impressive. A two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year in high school, Boozer has long dominated his competition with unparalleled strength, skill and IQ, at every level of competition. How it all translates to the very highest level of competition, the NBA, however, remains a point of contention in scouting circles.
In the top-heavy 2026 class, Boozer has his share of skeptics when it comes to the No. 1 pick debate. Some view him as too complete, too smart a player to fail. He checks off so many intangible boxes. Others question his athletic profile and defensive outlook, arguing that what made him so effective in high school and now college just will not carry the same weight against NBA competition.
Boozer's offensive strengths
- Strength and footwork as a post scorer
- Quick-trigger passing
- Grab-and-go transition initiator
- Elite connector
- Short roll surgeon
- Timing on cuts and relocations
- Offensive rebounding
Boozer struggled a bit with as a rim finisher early in the season, but like fellow Duke phenom Cooper Flagg the year prior, Boozer rapidly upgraded his software and made the necessary adjustments. College defenses don't have a ton of answers for Boozer. He deploys his strength well on drives and post-ups. While he's not super flexible, Boozer's footwork and pacing allow him to negate the side effects of a more rigid frame and a limited first step. He uses his broad shoulders to carve out space and create advantages. He can waltz slo-mo through the post for beautiful, balletic finishes.
The blend of strength, touch and body control Boozer puts on such frequent display should translate to the next level. His frame is built for the next level already, and he should only add more muscle with a professional development staff in his corner. While bruising forwards are not a guaranteed sell in the NBA, it's Boozer's IQ that sets him apart. He outthinks opponents at every turn.
Boozer is Duke's leading assist man. The offense runs through him at the elbow. He provides such a varied face-up threat, able to diagnose the defense at warp speed and attack with a purpose — when it's plowing downhill, whipping a quick-hitting pass to a cutter, skipping it to the open shooter. The whole playbook unfolds from Boozer's brain. He is genuinely surgical in his approach, identifying weaknesses and taking the necessary steps to exploit them, often well before the defense can identify those weaknesses.
The 3-point shot looks crisp and fluid. Boozer can come off a screen or pindown and flow effortlessly into his shot, with minimal load time. He can beat closeouts. Put him in a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop, and all the traits listed above apply. He's a freight train on drives, a freewheeling passer, a competent mid-range or mid-post operator.
Even when he's not scoring, Boozer will find ways to grease the wheels on offense and impact winning. This level of feel and processing does not guarantee NBA success — nothing does — but it's difficult to envision a player with Boozer's tools and brain completely bombing at the next level.
Boozer's defensive strengths
- Great hands
- Impeccable timing and instincts off-ball
- Elite rebounding technique
- Occasional switchability
- Strength to battle 7-footers in the paint
Boozer has mostly held in own on defense, even excelled on occasion, despite the persistent narratives stating otherwise. Those less convinced of Boozer as a No. 1 pick candidate typically point to his defense, and understandably so, but there's reason to believe he can achieve the baseline success necessary on that end to support his rise to offensive stardom in the NBA.
The steal numbers are highly encouraging. Like on offense, Boozer's brain is a huge asset. He knows where he needs to be on the floor and can read opposing plays like a good novel. The 18-year-old is constantly blowing up passing lanes, sneaking backdoor for a steal in the post, or busting up pick-and-rolls. He can track opponents' eyelines; he has a great feel for when to help off of shooters and when to retreat. Boozer makes a lot of positive things happen on the defensive end.
He's a great rebounder, on both ends. His boxes out effectively, setting a wide base and vacuuming up rebounds with sticky hands. He has some positional flexibility. Though not overly quick on the perimeter, Boozer is technically sound and he does overextend himself or easily surrender position. As his frame continues to fill out, he should operate effectively against taller bigs in the post, able to get low and stand his ground, even if he's not a huge vertical leaper.
Where Boozer needs to improve
- Lacks wiggle as a ball-handler
- Mediocre rim protector
- Occasionally plays smaller than his size on defense
- Limited lateral mobility in space
The primary concerns with Boozer boil down to lackluster athleticism. He's strong, coordinated and incredibly technical in his execution, but he's not the explosive driver or leaper that we traditionally associate with top picks and future stars. He can get a bit upright with his handle, which means small, quick defenders with a low center of gravity can give Boozer problems.
Most of the real red flags pop up on defense, however. Boozer is not much of rim protector for a power forward and occasional small-ball center. He has the strength to battle inside, yet he can struggle to get the vertical lift necessary to contest shots at the rim. When he's on his back foot, retreating against quicker guards or wings, lanes tend to really open up.
Duke lets Boozer switch out to the perimeter and handle a variety of matchups, but there are scenarios in which his lack of east-west agility really becomes apparent — particularly in isolation. Boozer often compensates with his active hands and a relentless motor, but NBA offenses will test him in extreme ways. If Boozer can't provide sufficient rim deterrence and teams are able to isolate him in favorable matchups on the perimeter, it could cause real issues for his next team.
NBA player comparisons for Boozer
Julius Randle
Boozer shares a number of physical attributes as Julius Randle; both are 6-foot-9 bruisers who can leverage strength and footwork to manhandle mismatches and score in a variety of ways below the rim. Boozer is a much sharper processor, but Randle is often deployed as a passing hub and the sort of jack-of-all-trades that Boozer represents to prospective NBA teams.
Al Horford
In his prime, Al Horford was an unsexy but immensely impactful frontcourt star. He loved to catch it at the elbow, face up, and just dismantle the defense. Horford's passing IQ, strength and footwork on drives, and eventual progression as a 3-point shooter, give a helpful sense of how Boozer's game could map onto the next level, although the 18-year-old probably ends up scoring at a much higher clip than Horford while presenting less far-reaching value as a defender.
Derik Queen
Pelicans rookie Derik Queen is another useful point of comparison — another frontcourt "tweener" whose lack of rim protection became a huge sticking point for pre-draft skeptics. Already, Queen has made his bones with funky, off-beat drives, post-ups and connective passing at the five spot. Boozer is a much better shooter and leverages his strength more in the post, but Queen's visionary passing and skillful below-the-rim finishing offer similarities.
Best NBA fits for Cam Boozer
Indiana Pacers
Boozer would thrive on a ready-made contender like Indiana. It's fun to imagine him next to another high-feel star with light-speed processing like Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers would just destroy teams with their ability to pick at wounds and exploit breakdowns. With Haliburton setting the table, spacing the floor, and with Pascal Siakam as a sort of breakneck downhill slasher and play-finisher, Indiana becomes awfully difficult to contain. That said, the Pacers would need to find a proper rim protector to anchor the frontcourt on defense.
Utah Jazz
Utah has the infrastructure to really start moving toward contention with Boozer onboard. Walker Kessler can clean up messes on defense. Lauri Markkanen is one of the league's greatest off-ball scorers. Keyonte George has taken the star leap at point guard, or is close to it. Ace Bailey looks extremely promising when he's focused on spot-up 3s and simple plays. Add Boozer into the mix to tie everything together, and the Jazz feel imminent in the West.
Charlotte Hornets
Cam Boozer and fellow Duke product Kon Knueppel can lead Charlotte out of the NBA basement. That pairing alone offers plenty of excitement. Knueppel is a deadeye shooter with top-shelf connective instincts. He's another extremely smart and decisive rising star. Boozer gives Charlotte a consistent interior scorer to balance out the offense. If LaMelo Ball sticks around, letting him work more off-ball and incorporating two-man actions with Boozer should lead to immediate success. Boozer puts each piece of Charlotte's core, which is already very talented, in a better position.
Boozer's NBA Draft projection
Expected draft range: 1-3
Boozer has a strong case — arguably the strongest case — to go No. 1 overall in June. That said, while his on-paper résumé exceeds even that of Cooper Flagg, there is stiff competition in this class with Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa, both of whom are viable top pick candidates in their own right.
As such, expect Boozer to float aimlessly between No. 1 and No. 3 in various mocks, with the final result quite likely to depend on team fit and front office preferences, which is not often the case so high in the draft. Peterson will just plug more easily into certain team structures. Dybantsa has the highest ceiling. But Boozer has perhaps the highest floor, so do not count him out.
Why teams like him
Front offices with vocal analytics departments are going to really favor Boozer, whose metrics tend to lap the field. Teams with an established backcourt and a strong rim-protecting five should also find it easy to fit Boozer into their team-building calculus.
Boozer's NBA-ready frame, prodigious basketball IQ and long track record of winning, against all manners of competition, should leave him well-situated in the minds of front office personnel and scouting departments leaguewide. More and more, teams are beginning to recognize the value of feel. On a cellular level, Boozer understands how to play the game and elevate those in his orbit. While he's not a standout athlete or a particularly explosive performer, Boozer should pick up the NBA game quickly and immediately translate his skill set in a variety of team contexts.
If betting on which rookie will produce the most in 2026-27, Boozer is your man.