If you were drafting a player solely on winning, Cam Boozer might be that player. In every competitive league that Boozer has been a part of, he’s been a winner. And not just a winner, but dominant. Don’t believe me, here’s a list of his accomplishments:
- High School (Christopher Columbus High School, FL): Won four consecutive Florida state championships and a national title.
- International (USA Basketball): Went an undefeated 13-0, securing gold medals at the 2023 FIBA U16 AmeriCup and 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He was named MVP for both tournaments.
- Nike EYBL: Won three Nike Peach Jam titles during his AAU circuit career.
- College (Duke): Captured the ACC regular-season title, the ACC Tournament MVP, and led the Duke Blue Devils to the Elite Eight. He led the country in double-doubles (22) while averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. All that while shooting 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from three.
If there’s one thing that Cam Boozer has done, it’s win basketball games, and if you are drafting Boozer, that’s exactly what you can expect him to do.
The only reason Boozer isn’t the clear-cut #1 pick in this draft is that it’s one of the top-heavy drafts in a long time. Boozer is going up against two of the most impressive on-ball prospects we’ve seen in some time in AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. That said, there’s no reason that Boozer shouldn’t get considered by the Washington Wizards or the Utah Jazz at the #1 or #2 pick.
If you wanted a description of Cam Boozer’s game, it would be that he’s quite literally good at everything a big will be asked to do. Boozer can score from everywhere on the floor as a true three-level scorer. He’s an elite three-point shooter whether it’s off the bounce or the catch. That elite shooting forces defenders to run out to contest his shot, which leads to him driving and scoring. If the big is there on the drive, he can drop a floater with fantastic touch. His bread and butter typically comes in isolation with his back to the basket. He has an array of moves, whether it’s pure brute force backing down a mismatch, he’ll face up and knock down a pull-up jumper, or he’ll go with a wide array of spin moves leading to a variety of baby hooks.
He’s also a deft passer, whether passing within the offense, kicking out to shooters in the short roll, or passing to an open shooter out of the post. The thing his passing shows is an elite-level IQ, and it’s that IQ that gives you confidence that his game can translate to the NBA.
The only question marks about Boozer concern his defense and potential position. Boozer was not a good rim protector in college, and that weakness will only get worse in the league. That means that Boozer will be playing exclusively at the power forward. That’s not a big issue, but it does make roster construction around him vital to maximize everything he does. For example, Boozer’s back-to-the-basket game gets neutralized a bit if he’s on the floor with a non-stretch center. In college, where Boozer got blocked a surprising amount on post-ups, that will only get worse in the NBA, where he’ll face bigger, more athletic opposition. Now, that doesn’t mean he can’t figure things out, it’s just something to consider, and it means a good chunk of his game might be taken away. That said, Boozer can still do a lot with the ball, and a smart coach will find a lot of ways to use him. If he’s not backing people down in the post, he can just replace those post plays by getting the ball at the top of the key. He can hit cutters, pull up from three, or make his patented punishing drives to the basket.
As I mentioned before, the other element that raises some questions is his defense. Boozer can’t protect the rim, and he might also struggle on the perimeter in the NBA. Very rarely do you see multiple bigs on the floor that can’t handle and shoot. There will also be coaches that will challenge Boozer by forcing him to defend more agile 3s and 4s. It will be fascinating to see how Boozer handles those matchups. If he does well, then he’s the type of player that can contribute to championship-level basketball, maybe even be the leader of a championship team. If he can’t, then he becomes a liability come playoff time. A team deciding to make Boozer their franchise player is betting that Boozer can figure that element of his game out. And if there’s one thing we know about Boozer, he figures out how to win wherever he plays, there’s no reason to think he can’t do that in the NBA.
At FanDuel, Boozer is +1500 to go #1, but you never know if a GM makes a surprise decision and changes the entire layout of the draft. Could Utah make an unexpected move for Cam Boozer at #2? We’ll find out on June 23rd.
