{"id":628996,"date":"2026-04-25T01:14:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T01:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/628996\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T01:14:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T01:14:09","slug":"dukes-cameron-boozer-declares-for-2026-nba-draft-after-standout-freshman-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/628996\/","title":{"rendered":"Duke’s Cameron Boozer declares for 2026 NBA Draft after standout freshman season"},"content":{"rendered":"

After one season at Duke, Cameron Boozer<\/a> has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. He made the announcement on his Instagram account on Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for everything @dukeuniversity<\/a>,\u201d Boozer wrote on the post. \u201cDuke Blue forever \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc99\u201d<\/p>\n

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Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 38 games for the Blue Devils this past season. He also shot 39% on 138 3-point attempts. That performance earned him the men\u2019s Naismith Player of the Year award<\/a>, in addition to consensus first-team All-American honors.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-9 forward is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Yahoo Sports\u2019 Kevin O\u2019Connor projected him to be selected third in his latest mock draft<\/a> (going to the Sacramento Kings<\/a>) before the NBA Draft Lottery determines the order of the first 15 picks.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a do-it-all offensive talent who can post up, run pick-and-rolls, set screens, spot up and crash the boards,\u201d O\u2019Connor wrote in his scouting report. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t need to rely on bully ball to make an impact as a scorer or passer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe plays hard and has improved at every weakness in his game so far,\u201d O\u2019Connor added.<\/p>\n

If Boozer were to be the No. 1 overall selection, he would join the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, quarterback Fernando Mendoza<\/a>, as an alumnus of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami<\/a> to go as top prospects in their respective sports.<\/p>\n

As a freshman, Boozer helped lead Duke to a 35-3 record (17-1 in conference), winning the ACC regular-season and tournament titles. The Blue Devils earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the regional final before suffering a heartbreaking, buzzer-beater loss<\/a> to UConn.<\/p>\n

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He twice scored 30 or more points in four games and 20-plus points in 19 other games. During the NCAA tournament, Boozer averaged 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, including a 27-point performance in the defeat to UConn.<\/p>\n

Twin brother Cayden, who will return to Duke for his sophomore season, responded to Cameron\u2019s Instagram post by saying, \u201cI guess we got a lot to talk about tonight\ud83d\ude14.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameron and Cayden are the sons of Carlos Boozer<\/a>, a 13-year NBA veteran who averaged 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>, Utah Jazz<\/a>, Chicago Bulls<\/a> and Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> during his career. He also played at Duke and was a 2002 second-round pick (No. 35 overall).<\/p>\n

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Cameron Boozer was ranked as a five-star recruit coming out of high school, ranked by Rivals<\/a> as the No. 3 player nationally \u2014 behind BYU\u2019s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas\u2019 Darryn Peterson, who could both go ahead of him in the NBA Draft \u2014 and the No. 1 power forward. He chose Duke<\/a> over Miami, Florida State, Kentucky and Florida.<\/p>\n