Memphis selected Duke forward Cameron Boozer with the third overall pick at the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night – and the story that comes with him might be just as compelling as the prospect.
The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron arrives in the league as arguably the most decorated freshman in college basketball since Zion Williamson. He won the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award, and the AP national player of the year – all in his first and only college season.
The numbers behind the hype
At 6-foot-9 and 253 pounds, Boozer is built to compete immediately. At Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from three. He led the Blue Devils to a 35-3 record, the ACC regular season and tournament title, and an Elite Eight appearance.
“He makes everyone around him better,” head coach Jon Scheyer told reporters. “His IQ on both ends is rare.”
That 39.1% three-point mark – at his size, as a freshman – is the number scouts keep returning to. Defenses can’t simply pack the paint against him, which changes everything about how opposing teams need to scheme.
A frontcourt to build around
Memphis already has Zach Edey, the 7-foot-4 Canadian center who averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds in his second NBA season. Adding Boozer gives the Grizzlies a versatile forward capable of playing on and off the ball – a different profile from Edey and one that could open the floor considerably.
The Grizzlies’ rebuild has been difficult. Ja Morant’s future remains uncertain. Boozer alone doesn’t solve the roster, but at third overall, he’s a foundational piece nobody in Memphis will argue with.
Per NBA.com and ESPN
