Cameron Boozer has been so good for thus lengthy that there generally is a tendency to take his regular dominance without any consideration. 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 large factor’ to uncover. The one fixed alongside the best way is that if Boozer and his twin brother are on the courtroom, their group is nearly all the time profitable.
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 probably transient faculty keep is something like their illustrious highschool careers, the Blue Devils are going to be profitable video games at a excessive degree.
Right here’s a short checklist 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 general. Of their closing season of grassroots ball on the EYBL, they completed the yr with a 22-1 report. As members of the U17 World Cup, the twins starred on a group that received by a median of 64.4 factors per sport. Profitable comes straightforward 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 the best way to management the tempo of the sport. He initiatives as a killer faculty level guard, and can probably at some point be an NBA draft choose. He’s additionally clearly a secondary story within the twins’ dedication, as a result of his brother seems each bit like a future NBA famous person.
Cameron Boozer is 6’9 tank who has a legit declare as probably 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 lots 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 probably the most brutally environment friendly manner potential to punish them.
It helps to be large and robust, and Cameron Boozer is definitely that. Listed at 6’9, 235 kilos, Boozer is a hybrid large man with true three-level scoring means. In the identical sport, you’ll typically 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 constantly performs more durable and smarter than anybody else on the courtroom.
Boozer is a strong inside scorer
Boozer wished to point out his ability on the perimeter early in his profession, however as he bought 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 comfortable 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 large physique to create separation for the bucket inside.
My favourite performs from Cam Boozer in his latest sport towards Utah Prep.
He has a number of the greatest footwork of any HS prospect I’ve ever seen. Absolute famous person. pic.twitter.com/GCybKI3igW
— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) September 17, 2024
Boozer can be glorious as a rebounder, particularly on the offensive finish. He performs with a constantly excessive motor that results in a number of putbacks per sport. It’s widespread to see him observe his personal shot inside and put in his personal misses. He will get off the ground extraordinarily effectively 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 via 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 styles and sizes have to have the ability to play out on the perimeter now, and Boozer can very a lot do this.
He’s a complicated ball handler for somebody his dimension and his age, exhibiting good ball management and the flexibility to remain low along with his dribble. He’s extra of a strength-based creator than somebody who will mud you along 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 a very good job of utilizing his thick decrease physique to maintain defenders off him. Watch him create area towards Queen and over over Flagg for one more bucket:
Boozer’s taking pictures seems promising
Taking pictures improvement can be a swing ability for any prime prospect getting into the league with legit positional dimension. Boozer is already a very good shooter, if not but a terrific one. It’s laborious to search out dependable taking pictures percentages, however most stories sometimes have him round 33-35 %. He has a little bit of a sluggish launch on this three-point shot proper now, however there’s little doubt he has actual vary.
Right here’s 4 instance of Boozer hitting deep three-pointers off the catch as a ground spacer.
Boozer can move it, too
Boozer’s scoring is so efficient partly as a result of he not often 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 move. 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 not often appears to power his personal scoring possibilities, and might throw some spectacular dimes when he has an open cutter.
Scripted play so it’s actually about executing, however right here’s 6-9 230 (I believe he’s taller and heavier 16yr previous Cam Boozer with some close to flawless execution on the blind dump off to cutter.
Really feel like there’s very a lot full on hub upside with him. pic.twitter.com/S2EYPRdb7G— fendo (@dancingwithnoah) April 8, 2024
Boozer’s outlet passing can be a singular weapon. He understands the ball strikes quicker than your ft, and does a pleasant job of preserving his eyes up courtroom when he grabs a rebound. Duke goes to attain so many straightforward buckets off his transition passing throughout his freshman yr.
Boozer seems like a future NBA star
The race for the No. 1 general choose within the 2026 NBA Draft will come right down to Boozer vs. Dybantsa. Dybantsa is the No. 1 participant in most class of 2025 rankings proper now, and seems to have a good lead on Boozer to finally be the NBA’s prime choose. Dybantsa — a wing within the Tracy McGrady mould — is filled with projectable NBA upside. I nonetheless desire 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 attention-grabbing. He’s largely 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 strong from a paint safety standpoint, it’s honest to marvel if his ft can be slightly sluggish guarding NBA fours on the perimeter.
Nonetheless, Boozer’s mixture of statistical dominance and translatable, well-rounded abilities are too spectacular to guess towards. Born July 18, 2007, Boozer’s ruthless means to win on the highest ranges turns into extra spectacular while you understand he’s typically a lot youthful than his friends. If Flagg is the most effective NBA prospect outdoors 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 over time, 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.