Former Blue Devils star Cameron Boozer is the third player off the board in the 2026 NBA draft, having been officially selected by the Grizzlies.
A consensus first-team All-American and the AP’s College Basketball Player of the Year in his first and only season at Duke, Boozer put up incredible numbers as a freshman, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 33.4 minutes per game across 38 outings. The 6’9″ forward also scored his points extremely efficiently, making 55.6% of his shots from the floor, including 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 78.9% of his tries from the free throw line.
While Boozer isn’t an explosive athlete or a strong rim protector, he’s a high-IQ player who offsets his lack of athleticism with good instincts and quick decision-making.
The son of former two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron also has an impressive résumé beyond his NCAA achievements, having won gold medals with Team USA at the Under-16 Americas championship in 2023 and the U17 World Cup in 2024. He was named the MVP of both tournaments.
Boozer figures to slot in immediately at the starting power forward spot for Memphis, and could form a physically imposing frontcourt alongside third-year center Zach Edey, who will look to bounce back from a lost season due to injuries, rookie breakout guard Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells, who is only a year removed from coming in third in Rookie of the Year voting.
Together, the four players will attempt to build a strong, skilled, and tough young core as the Grizzlies look to transition from the previous era built around Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, both of whom have now been traded, as well as Ja Morant, whose status in Memphis remains up in the air.
While there are questions about Boozer’s ceiling relative to some of the other top prospects, one unquestioned thing is his ability to be productive at every level. Given the personnel on the roster, he should have the opportunities to put up big numbers on this year’s Grizzlies team.
