Duke\u2019s Cameron Boozer put together one of the best collegiate seasons ever seen for a true freshman, making an unprecedented impact statistically while leading the Blue Devils to an Elite Eight appearance that ended in heartbreak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a forward who ranked No. 3 per RSCI, standing at about 6-foot-9, and a very stout 250 pounds. There are no official wingspan measurement, though there\u2019s some unofficial listings out there that it\u2019s in the 7-foot range, which would back up his otherworldly production. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 56% overall, 39% from three and 79% from the line.<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s major strengths include his pure strength and motor, scoring versatility, passing and play-making, feel for the game and high basketball IQ.<\/p>\n
Strengths:Strength and Motor<\/p>\n
Cameron Boozer\u2019s first strength is just that, his overwhelming functional strength that, when paired with a motor that doesn\u2019t quit, fueled the single most productive freshman we\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n
His pure strength bleeds into just about every area of his game in positive ways. While he doesn\u2019t have elite height for a big, he has a wide, sturdy, pro-ready frame that belies a much older, bigger prospect.<\/p>\n
Boozer takes the fight to the opposition often, going right through defenders or wisely angling his shoulders and elbows to create space. He has a true love for physicality, and is among the tougher more composed players while playing through contact that I\u2019ve seen, which the numbers bear out across the board.<\/p>\n
Boozer can also just anchor down and position himself, be it on a post-up, while defending in the paint on or off-ball, and especially rebounding. He\u2019s an immoveable force in these scenarios, with tree trunk legs that can help him maintain position regardless of the size mismatch. He\u2019s really good about keeping his pivot foot down, which was especially notable given his volume at Duke.<\/p>\n
Boozer was one of the more prolific rebounders in college basketball, grabbing 10.2 per game, 6.9 on the defensive glass and 3.4 on offense. He posted a 17.6 total rebounding percentage, 22% defensive rebounding percentage and 12.5 offensive rebounding percentage, all truly elite numbers.<\/p>\n
He is a gravitational rebounder, not using elite verticality, but rather his combination of strength, positioning, instincts and grapple-hook hands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All of this is made better by Boozer\u2019s motor, which is just relentless as he runs the floor both ways, posts up, stretches to the perimeter, crashes the glass and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One under-discussed aspect of this area is that Boozer is still-18, with years and years to continue developing physically. He may be physically closer to his peak than some of his peers, but there\u2019s little question he\u2019ll still mature somewhat being just 18.<\/p>\n
Plenty point to this area as a reason that Boozer won\u2019t be able to succeed at the next level, naming it as the sole reason he\u2019s been able to dominate at the collegiate level. That\u2019s largely untrue, as there\u2019s plenty of strong players unable to bear even a slight resemblance to Boozer\u2019s production.<\/p>\n
But even if it was a big reason, that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing. You would be hard-pressed to name any of the NBA\u2019s top players that don\u2019t use strength to advantage create on a night-to-night basis. And Boozer also has plenty of skill, which we\u2019ll get into, but his strength is certainly a catalyst for a lot of his production.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scoring Versatility<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s earned a \u201cbully ball,\u201d reputation at the college level. But there\u2019s plenty more than meets the eye here, with genuine scoring versatility across the board.<\/p>\n
Having averaged 22.5 points on 56% shooting as an 18-year-old true freshman, there\u2019s effectively no way Boozer was simply bullying his way to that level of production, though his strength-based creation does make up the majority of his advantages. There\u2019s tons of skill layered across his game too, with him functioning as an algorithmic terminator capable of spitting out the right play nine times out of ten.<\/p>\n
Boozer split his time feasting on the interior and facing up, processing the entire floor in both ways. Sixty four percent of his field goals came at the rim, and 28% coming on various jumpers.<\/p>\n
Boozer has a wizened interior game, shooting 64% at the rim in total on very high volume. He shot 60% on 289 layups and 95% on dunks, mostly functioning as a below the rim finisher, though lifting on occasion at 38 dunks across 38 games. Despite that lack of vertical explosion, he has tons of crafty footwork, post moves and a touch-y finishing arsenal, going off the glass, using hook shots and floaters, scoops and plenty more. Perhaps most importantly he can finish expertly with either hand.<\/p>\n
His interior scoring is largely built on technique and fundamentals, and when paired with the raw strength creates a real handful.<\/p>\n
The versatility part of the equation comes in the various ways that Boozer prospered with Duke. Plenty of that was posting up, scoring 171 points on elite 62% shooting. But he also graded excellent per Synergy cutting, in transition, on put-backs and spotting up, with other viable play-types being rolling, handling and even isolation.<\/p>\n
Boozer shot 71% on cuts, largely navigating toward open space with acute court awareness. He got out in transition and hit at 60% with great mobility for his size, crashed the glass on offense and timed tips well at 72%, He largely shot from distance while spotting up, but also has the ability to attack off the dribble, using simple but effective moves to slice downhill with quickness to get by fellow bigs. He shot 53% as the roll-man, 42% as a 6-foot-9 pick-and-roll handler and 51% in isolation.<\/p>\n
At some level, Boozer does kind\u2019ve work the strength creation into every area. Plays with him as the handler can look akin to a more stretched-out version of posting up if you\u2019re squinting as he\u2019s backing someone down from the free throw line. But there\u2019s also a lot of skill, a lot of craft and feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And NBA teams will be able to use and deploy him in so many different ways to get him into 1-on-1 matchups that he can exploit, be it slow-footed bigs or smaller players. Especially seeing as plenty of Boozer\u2019s best stuff is complimentary, off-ball impact.<\/p>\n
Shooting<\/p>\n
The 1B to Boozer\u2019s scoring versatility is what really makes all the offensive puzzle pieces fit together in his perimeter shooting, which is among the best ever among big prospects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Boozer shot 39% from three on 3.6 attempts per game, already placing himself among elite floor-stretching prospects. He doesn\u2019t have the single most aesthetic shot form, but he has very replicable mechanics, the volume, confidence and touch to project this to be a continued weapon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s at his best simply catching-and-shooting, hitting on 41% of his catch-and-shoot shots, being largely unbothered by contests at 39% guarded and 42% unguarded on similar volume. Despite his best work being stationary, he did shoot a great 37% on dribble-jumper threes, primarily on one-to-two dribble counters that gave him the necessary room to fire shots off.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, Boozer was massively effective in all the ways he\u2019ll be used as a floor stretcher in the NBA: 49% spotting up, 42% as the pick-and-roll handler \u2014 taking advantage of bigs dropping too quickly \u2014 and 44% on pick-and-pops.<\/p>\n
Play-types like 27% from three in transition, 23% off-screen and 33% in isolation brought his already good percentages down somewhat. And aren\u2019t likely to be his top options in the association anyways.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Boozer is a proven shooter, offering a highly valuable skill as a floor-stretching big, with the potential to parlay that into an even more dangerous downhill game.<\/p>\n
Passing and Play-Making<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s passing and play-making is one of the centerpieces of his game, boasting 4.1 assists to 2.5 turnovers per game, a positive ratio of 1.6 and an assist percentage of 26% \u2014 all truly elite numbers for a big of his archetype.<\/p>\n
Boozer doesn\u2019t have the flashiest passing mixtape you\u2019ll ever lay eyes on, but much like his scoring, he can input the game and make the right play time and again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a highly-connective passer, able to process the game at lightning speed. He makes smart reads time and again, expertly surveying the floor. He\u2019s consistently accurate in hitting shooting pockets, and able to put a ton of zip and velocity on his passes, be it simple ball-moving or grabbing-and-going in transition, where his outlet passes are truly elite. He\u2019s at his best stationary, reading and reacting while offense flows, but he can also pass on the move, which is especially impressive given his size.<\/p>\n
As a play-maker, Boozer has hub upside, likely as soon as his rookie season. He can truly quarterback offense, parlaying his own scoring gravity very naturally into making players for others. He\u2019s anticipatory and manipulative, all things rarely seen in a player of his size and position.<\/p>\n
Boozer can run dribble-handoffs with his wide frame and sturdy screens. He can operate big-big actions in the pick-and-roll or in high-low actions in the high-post. He\u2019s elite in the short roll with feathery touch to cutters or quick-fire accuracy to shooters. His post-game is made all the more versatile by his ability to read the help and immediately make the right play \u2014 be it near or far. And that could help to make post-ups even more viable, as teams won\u2019t be able to double-him in disadvantaged situations without him capitalizing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Boozer did get a little turnover prone down the stretch of the season, as competition ramped up and teams sold out to stop him. He averaged 4.1 turnovers per game across seven games in the ACC and NCAA tournaments, though still maintained a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. And one would expect the spaced-out NBA, pro weapons and added time as a play-maker will continue his growth in this area.<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s passing and play-making is just another layer of what makes him such a unique player at 6-foot-9.<\/p>\n
Feel for the Game<\/p>\n
If you hadn\u2019t guessed by now, Boozer has premier feel for the game, which branches across his skillset. From his counter-laden, versatile scoring game, his efficiency at every level, the formulaic passing and ability to win in all the in-between areas, such as rebounding, screening and more.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to envision Boozer as a floor-raiser on just about any team, with his game being both highly-complimentary, but offering plenty of upside as well. He won\u2019t be pigeonholed to any one scheme, with adaptability across a several play-styles offensively given his passing, shooting and rebounding.<\/p>\n
Accolades are to be taken with a grain of salt in terms of NBA context, but Boozer\u2019s truly been a winning machine for the last half-decade, rattling off four-straight high school titles, multiple AAU accomplishments, gold medals with Team USA, and finally a 35-3 record with Duke that yielded an Elite Eight appearance and a likely National Player of the Year win for Boozer himself.<\/p>\n
Some are quick to place a ceiling on Boozer for the limitations we\u2019ll touch on shortly, and there\u2019s plenty of merit to some of it. But players with this level of feel for the game also have a way of pushing past limitations, and Boozer feels of that mold with his production and affinity for winning.<\/p>\n
Areas of Improvement:Athleticism<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s areas of improvement all start with athleticism, which spans to both his offense and defense. This could also be labeled as more an area to consider, opposed to improve, given how hard to can be to simply become a better athlete. Though there are a handful of positive cases.<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s burly frame is a major plus, but his more traditional athleticism leaves plenty to be desired. As previously stated, he lacks vertical explosiveness and is not a consistent above the rim athlete, which does hurt some in a really rangy, vertical NBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More concerning is the certain level of stiffness, and lack of real bend and flexibility that is layered across his movement in general. Boozer is not a twitchy athlete, with so-so foot speed and limited hip flexibility made better by his processing and decision-making. He instead relies on his coordination and IQ to gain advantages, and it can lead to a lack of aesthetics on his game overall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In tandem with the fact that Boozer is a bit of an odd size for a true NBA big at 6-foot-9, it can create several questions marks about how he\u2019s going to replicate all of his success in the bigger, faster, stronger NBA.<\/p>\n
Defense<\/p>\n
Boozer\u2019s lesser athleticism rears its head the most on the defensive end of the court, where most of those questions marks hang around.<\/p>\n
For context, Boozer split his time at Duke playing as the essential five, but also playing alongside a rim-protector in Patrick Ngongba.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the record, Boozer was a great defender at the college level, and the numbers bear that out: 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game for 2.0 stocks in total, an elite 2.5 steal percentage that highlight his adept hands and instincts for disruption. And a defensive box-plus minus of 6.0 \u2014 which paint the picture of how his feel bleeds into this area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Boozer continues to be disciplined and technical on this end. His processing and game-reading carries right over into\u00a0 positioning, where his 1-of-1 strength helps. He understands how offense is flowing when surveying on defense as well, able to rotate and play anticipatory team defense with the best of them.<\/p>\n
Despite all the verifiable good, there\u2019s also some bad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Far-and-away the biggest concern would be pure rim protection, as none of the measure-ables, stats or eye test confirm that Boozer will be able to protect the rim at a high or even mediocre level in the NBA. He posted just 0.6 blocks per game, good for a 2.2% block percentage, which even accounting for time spent at the four, isn\u2019t great.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no real concerns from a strength and physicality perspective, but his ability to consistently alter, much less block interior shots are certainly up in the air given the lack of elite height and vertical pop.<\/p>\n
Positionally, that likely makes Boozer best suited to be a four who will need to defend more mobile players, potentially on the perimeter. While there\u2019s certain to be numerous players of his size and mold that he can match up fine against, there will also be plenty in that scenario that are entirely perimeter-based.<\/p>\n
Enter: defensive problem No. 2. Boozer\u2019s feel, anticipation and active hands allowed him to switch on the perimeter plenty at the college level. But his projection at the NBA level is murkier given the limitations, namely the lack of elasticity that would allow for truly hanging with quick handlers.<\/p>\n
Plenty expect Boozer to be serviceable in stints at the five, and defensively a wash or even impactful in stints at the four due to his level of feel for the game. But there will be almost certainly be a learning curve here, and it\u2019s clear his pure upside is the least of his No. 1 counterparts here.<\/p>\n
Outlook:<\/p>\n
Cameron Boozer\u2019s put together one of the most prolific seasons we\u2019ve ever seen as a teenager in college basketball, notwithstanding an Elite Eight run that was a hero-shot away from a Final Four berth.<\/p>\n
He brings endless winning skills and drive within a pro-ready frame wrapped up in a high-feel bow. Most of cons across his profile \u2014 save for rim protection \u2014 don\u2019t even show up statistically, really just in broad projections about how his scoring and defense will transfer over.<\/p>\n
That sounds like plenty of the non-uber athletic stars that have made their way through the draft ranks and just found a way to make things work at the NBA level. And one shouldn’t be quick to be the one to hard-cap Boozer\u2019s potential.<\/p>\n
There will be NBA teams in accord with that thought process, with a potential need for production pushing him to No. 1 on some boards. There will also rightfully be teams enamored with the more engine-like, creation-slanted players like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, who if ironed out have more theoretical upside, and that\u2019s going to place his range as low as No. 3.<\/p>\n
In terms of fit, Boozer genuinely fits just about everywhere, but these three jump out the most. The Kings could use the most sure-fire pick in some time, an immediate blue-chip building block with which to start. Boozer\u2019s fit alongside Alex Sarr, who protects the rim at an elite level is a great onbe. And a potential Pacers quartet alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac, could help him to moonlight between three, four and five.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Range: No. 1 to No. 3Role: Play-Making HubImpact: Star, Superstar UpsideSwing Skills: Athleticism, DefenseBest Fits: Kings, Wizards, Pacers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Duke\u2019s Cameron Boozer put together one of the best collegiate seasons ever seen for a true freshman, making…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":580691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-580690","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=580690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/580691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=580690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=580690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=580690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}