Duke’s Cameron Boozer declares for 2026 NBA Draft after standout freshman season
After one season at Duke, Cameron Boozer has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. He made the announcement on his Instagram account on Friday.
“Thanks for all the pieces @dukeuniversity,” Boozer wrote on the submit. “Duke Blue eternally 💙💙”
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Boozer averaged 22.5 factors, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 38 video games for the Blue Devils this previous season. He additionally shot 39% on 138 3-point makes an attempt. That efficiency earned him the lads’s Naismith Participant of the 12 months award, along with consensus first-team All-American honors.
The 6-foot-9 ahead is in rivalry to be the No. 1 general choose within the 2026 NBA Draft. Yahoo Sports activities’ Kevin O’Connor projected him to be chosen third in his mock draft (going to the Sacramento Kings) earlier than the NBA Draft Lottery determines the order of the primary 15 picks.
“He’s a do-it-all offensive expertise who can submit up, run pick-and-rolls, set screens, spot up and crash the boards,” O’Connor wrote in his scouting report. “He doesn’t must depend on bully ball to make an influence as a scorer or passer.”
“He performs arduous and has improved at each weak point in his recreation to this point,” O’Connor added.
If Boozer have been to be the No. 1 general choice, he would be a part of the No. 1 choose within the 2026 NFL Draft, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, as alumni from Christopher Columbus Excessive College in Miami, Florida as prime prospects of their respective sports activities.
As a freshman, Boozer helped lead Duke to a 35-3 report (17-1 in convention), successful the ACC regular-season and match titles. The Blue Devils earned a No. 1 seed within the NCAA match and superior to the regional last earlier than struggling a heartbreaking, buzzer-beater loss to UConn.
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He twice scored 35 factors amongst 4 video games throughout which he scored 30 or extra, and in addition tallied 20 or extra factors in 16 different video games. In the course of the NCAA match, Boozer averaged 22.5 factors and 10.5 rebounds together with a 27-point efficiency within the defeat to UConn.
Twin brother Cayden, who will return to Duke for his sophomore season, responded to Cameron’s Instagram submit by saying, “I assume we acquired so much to speak about tonight😔.”
Cameron and Cayden are the sons of Carlos Boozer, a 13-year NBA veteran who averaged 16.2 factors and 9.5 rebounds enjoying for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers throughout his profession. He additionally performed at Duke and was a 2002 second-round choose (No. 35 general).
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Boozer was ranked as a five-star recruit popping out of highschool, ranked by Rivals because the No. 3 participant nationally — behind BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, who might each go forward of him within the NBA Draft — and the No. 1 energy ahead. He selected Duke over Miami, Florida State, Kentucky and Florida.
