Duke

Highly touted Boozer twins make college basketball recruiting choices for Duke

Cameron Boozer, center, and Cayden Boozer watch during the second half of Arizona’s 78-73 victory over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.
Cameron Boozer, center, and Cayden Boozer watch during the second half of Arizona’s 78-73 victory over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. ehyman@newsobserver.com

Long Duke basketball’s top targets in the 2025 recruiting class, legacy twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer announced Friday morning they’ll play college basketball for the Blue Devils next season.

Sons of former Duke and NBA player Carlos Boozer, the brothers are five-star prospects in their senior seasons at Miami’s Christoper Columbus High School.

They made their decision public Friday morning via social media, choosing the Blue Devils over Miami. They had also visited Kentucky and Florida but, in the end, family legacy won out.

Cameron Boozer is the No. 2 player in the class, trailing only 6-8 forward AJ Dybantsa. At 6-9 and 215 pounds, Cameron Boozer has drawn comparisons to Paolo Banchero, who led Duke to the 2022 Final Four before becoming the No. 1 pick in that summer’s NBA Draft.

Cayden Boozer, a 6-4 point guard, is rated the No. 21 player in the class, according to 247sports.com’s national composite rankings.

Together, they’ve led their high school to three consecutive state championships and are seeking a fourth this season. They’ve also teamed up to win three consecutive Nike EYBL championships at the Peach Jam the last three summers for their Nightrydas team.

Columbus Explorers forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives to the basket past Archbishop Ryan Raiders forward Jaden Murray (22) during the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Dec. 19, 2023.
Columbus Explorers forward Cameron Boozer (12) drives to the basket past Archbishop Ryan Raiders forward Jaden Murray (22) during the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Dec. 19, 2023. Jonah Hinebaugh Naples Daily News/USA Today Network

In three seasons at Columbus High, Cameron Boozer has averaged 20.7 points per game with 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.1 blocks. Cayden Boozer’s high school career averages are 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals.

The paired their lengthy list of college suitors down to Duke, Miami and Florida over the summer before dropping the Gators earlier this month.

They are the first two players to commit to Duke for the 2025 recruiting class.

Columbus Explorers guard Cayden Boozer (2) passes the ball during their game against the Archbishop Ryan Raiders in the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers in December 2023.
Columbus Explorers guard Cayden Boozer (2) passes the ball during their game against the Archbishop Ryan Raiders in the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers in December 2023. Jonah Hinebaugh Naples Daily News/USA Today Netw

Cameron and Cayden Boozer made their official visit to Duke last Nov. 10 for the Blue Devils’ home game with Arizona. They returned to campus for an unofficial visit over Labor Day weekend. They followed that up with unofficial visits to Florida and Miami’s campuses over the next week.

Their father, Carlos Boozer, played for coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke from 1999-2002, helping the Blue Devils win the 2001 NCAA championship. After being named 2002 ACC Tournament most valuable player, he left school prior to his senior year and played in the NBA from 2002-2015 for Cleveland, Utah, Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Duke’s Carlos Boozer pulls a rebound from Wake Forest’s Vytas Danelius during a game in 2002.
Duke’s Carlos Boozer pulls a rebound from Wake Forest’s Vytas Danelius during a game in 2002. Chuck Liddy News & Observer file photo

Carlos Boozer made NBA All-Star teams in 2007 and 2008. Now an ACC Network basketball analyst, he returned to Duke and completed his degree in September 2020.

His sons will arrive at Duke in summer 2025 just as this season’s highly touted freshmen, including Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, will be leaving for the NBA, as is planned.

For years, Flagg and Cameron Boozer jockeyed for the top spot in the 2025 recruiting class. But, in August 2023, Flagg reclassified to the 2024 class and arrived in college a year earlier than expected. That cleared the path for the Boozers to follow him to Duke.

Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 pick in next summer’s NBA Draft, with the 7-2 Maluach also considered a top-10 pick.

As for the rest of the 2025 class, Duke has offers out to 6-2 guard Acaden Lewis from Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., as well as 6-6 small forward Shelton Henderson from Bellaire, Texas and 6-8 power forward Koa Peat from Gilbert, Arizona.

All three have made official visits to Duke in the last three weeks, with Henderson returning to Duke for Countdown to Craziness on Oct. 4 after making his official visit on Sept. 27. Lewis made his official visit at Countdown while Peat’s official visit was Sept. 20.

This story was originally published October 11, 2024 at 9:04 AM.

Steve Wiseman
The News & Observer
Steve Wiseman was named Raleigh News & Observer and Durham Herald-Sun sports editor in May 2025. He covered Duke athletics, beginning in 2010, prior to his current assignment. In the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest, he placed in the top 10 in beat writing in 2019, 2021 and 2022, breaking news in 2019, event coverage in 2025 and explanatory writing in 2018. Before coming to Durham in 2010, Steve worked for The State (Columbia, SC), Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, S.C.), The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.), Charlotte Observer and Hickory (NC) Daily Record covering beats including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, University of South Carolina athletics and the S.C. General Assembly. He’s won numerous state-level press association awards. Steve graduated from Illinois State University in 1989. 
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