Cameron Boozer, Duke’s newest blue chip commit, is an NBA celebrity within the making

Cameron Boozer has been so good for therefore lengthy that there generally is a tendency to take his regular dominance as a right. As the category of 2025 has come of age, gamers with extra explosive athleticism and extra spectacular powerful shot-making have gotten the lion’s share of the hype because the ‘subsequent huge factor’ to uncover. The one fixed alongside the way in which is that if Boozer and his twin brother are on the courtroom, their group is sort of at all times successful.

Cameron and Cayden Boozer dedicated to Duke over Miami on Friday. The twins will observe within the footsteps of their father, long-time NBA ahead Carlos Boozer, once they stroll onto campus in Durham. If their doubtless transient school keep is something like their illustrious highschool careers, the Blue Devils are going to be successful video games at a excessive stage.

Right here’s a quick listing of accomplishments for Cameron and Cayden Boozer within the prep ranks:

• Three straight state championships at Miami’s Columbus Excessive Faculty.
• Three straight EYBL championships with Nightrydas Elite, within the U15, U16, and U17 divisions.
• Two gold medals with USA Basketball’s junior packages, the place Cameron was named MVP of each occasions.

Throughout their first three years at Columbus, the Boozers went 85-12 total. Of their remaining season of grassroots ball on the EYBL, they completed the yr with a 22-1 file. As members of the U17 World Cup, the twins starred on a group that gained by a mean of 64.4 factors per sport. Profitable comes simple to the Boozers, and there’s a lot extra to it than simply their NBA bloodlines.

Cayden is rated as a top-five level guard recruit within the nation. The 6’3 guard is a dogged point-of-attack defender and heady passer who is aware of methods to management the tempo of the sport. He tasks as a killer school level guard, and can doubtless someday be an NBA draft choose. He’s additionally clearly a secondary story within the twins’ dedication, as a result of his brother seems to be each bit like a future NBA celebrity.

Cameron Boozer is 6’9 tank who has a reliable declare as essentially the most polished highschool scorer because the shoe firm circuits got here into existence. From a uncooked statistical perspective, Boozer’s effectivity is mind-blowing. He posted a real taking pictures share at or above 70 % in each main occasion he’s performed in, and led the EYBL in factors per possession by a mile. With Boozer as the middle of their lineups, Nightrydas completed No. 1 in offensive effectivity and No. 2 in defensive effectivity this yr.

Boozer has quite a bit going for him as a participant, however his largest weapon is his really feel for the sport. He’s a grasp at selecting out the weaknesses within the opposition’s schemes, and discovering essentially the most brutally environment friendly approach attainable to punish them.

It helps to be huge and powerful, and Cameron Boozer is actually that. Listed at 6’9, 235 kilos, Boozer is a hybrid huge man with true three-level scoring capability. In the identical sport, you’ll usually see Boozer go from a heliocentric wing scorer to a post-up battering ram to a entrance courtroom passing hub. He has no actual weaknesses in his ability set, and he persistently performs more durable and smarter than anybody else on the courtroom.

Boozer is a robust inside scorer

Boozer wished to point out his ability on the perimeter early in his profession, however as he obtained older it grew to become clear that nobody might cease him inside. He’s so good at establishing deep paint touches, and leveraging his masterful footwork and tender contact to search out baskets inside. Right here he’s taking A.J. Dybantsa — the one participant ranked forward of him within the class of 2025 — into the paint off the bounce, and utilizing his huge physique to create separation for the bucket inside.

Boozer can also be glorious as a rebounder, particularly on the offensive finish. He performs with a persistently excessive motor that results in a number of putbacks per sport. It’s frequent to see him observe his personal shot inside and put in his personal misses. He will get off the ground extraordinarily nicely for somebody with such a thick body, and his nostril for the ball is plain.

Right here’s Boozer grabbing a number of rebounds over future prime NBA draft choose Cooper Flagg and Maryland-bound teammate Derik Queen earlier than ending by means of site visitors:

Boozer can deal with the ball like a star wing scorer

The scale and energy benefit Boozer has on his opponents in highschool goes to shrink as he jumps to varsity after which the professionals. NBA stars of all sizes and shapes have to have the ability to play out on the perimeter now, and Boozer can very a lot do this.

He’s a sophisticated ball handler for somebody his dimension and his age, exhibiting good ball management and the power to remain low together with his dribble. He’s extra of a strength-based creator than somebody who will mud you together with his first step, however he’s a load to cope with as soon as he will get going downhill.

Gamers of all sizes simply appear to bounce off Boozer on his drives. He’s not closely strong-hand dependent, and does job of utilizing his thick decrease physique to maintain defenders off him. Watch him create house towards Queen and over over Flagg for one more bucket:

Boozer’s taking pictures seems to be promising

Taking pictures growth can be a swing ability for any prime prospect getting into the league with legit positional dimension. Boozer is already shooter, if not but an important one. It’s laborious to search out dependable taking pictures percentages, however most reviews sometimes have him round 33-35 %. He has a little bit of a gradual launch on this three-point shot proper now, however there’s little question he has actual vary.

Right here’s 4 instance of Boozer hitting deep three-pointers off the catch as a ground spacer.

Boozer can cross it, too

Boozer’s scoring is so efficient partly as a result of he hardly ever will get tunnel imaginative and prescient. He does an amazing job of mapping the ground and realizing the place his teammates are for an open cross. It’s so uncommon to see a 16-year-old course of the sport like this.

Boozer’s passing actually pops when defenses begin to focus in on taking his scoring away. He hardly ever appears to pressure his personal scoring possibilities, and may throw some spectacular dimes when he has an open cutter.

Boozer’s outlet passing can also be a novel weapon. He understands the ball strikes quicker than your toes, and does a pleasant job of protecting his eyes up courtroom when he grabs a rebound. Duke goes to attain so many simple buckets off his transition passing throughout his freshman yr.

Boozer seems to be like a future NBA star

The race for the No. 1 total choose within the 2026 NBA Draft will come all the way down to Boozer vs. Dybantsa. Dybantsa is the No. 1 participant in most class of 2025 rankings proper now, and seems to have an honest lead on Boozer to finally be the NBA’s prime choose. Dybantsa — a wing within the Tracy McGrady mildew — is filled with projectable NBA upside. I nonetheless favor Boozer’s polish, IQ, and effectivity, even when he isn’t as nimble and lacks Dybantsa’s nuclear explosiveness.

Boozer’s match on protection can be fascinating. He’s principally performed the 5 in highschool, however he’ll be a tad quick for that within the NBA. If he’s going to be a full-time 4, he’ll have to proceed to enhance as a shooter. Whereas his protection seems to be strong from a paint safety standpoint, it’s honest to marvel if his toes can be a little bit gradual guarding NBA fours on the perimeter.

Nonetheless, Boozer’s mixture of statistical dominance and translatable, well-rounded expertise are too spectacular to guess towards. Born July 18, 2007, Boozer’s ruthless capability to win on the highest ranges turns into extra spectacular while you notice he’s usually a lot youthful than his friends. If Flagg is the very best NBA prospect exterior of league proper now, Boozer isn’t far behind him as No. 2 in my e book.

Duke has had some sensible outsized scoring forwards through the years, from Jabari Parker to Brandon Ingram to Jayson Tatum to Zion Williamson to Jalen Johnson to Paolo Banchero to Flagg. Boozer has an opportunity to be nearly as good as any of them.