Cameron Boozer becomes second NBA Boozer after Grizzlies pick him No. 3 in draft

Another Boozer has arrived in the NBA.

The Memphis Grizzlies selected 18-year-old Duke forward Cameron Boozer, the son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, with the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Tuesday night.

Cameron Boozer — who became Duke’s seventh consensus National Player of the Year last season — led the Blue Devils in scoring (22.5 points), rebounding (10.2 rebounds) and assists (4.1) per game as a true freshman. He also shot 39.1% from behind the 3-point line.

“Instant happiness,” Boozer told ESPN of his emotions after being drafted. “Instant joy. Basically my whole life in a couple of seconds.”

The Grizzlies appear to be an ideal landing spot for Boozer, who could utilize his full offensive skill set alongside towering 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey. Further from the basket, he shouldn’t have to worry about matching up with true NBA centers as regularly as he might have on other teams.

Draft experts laud Boozer as a versatile offensive player with soft hands and an excellent basketball IQ. But his mediocre vertical athleticism limits his defensive ability to cover ground and block shots, according to ESPN’s draft board.

Nonetheless, Boozer’s production has been incredibly consistent thus far, scoring 13 or more points in every college game he played.

“Boozer’s footwork is outstanding,” said ESPN’s National High School Basketball Recruiting Director Paul Biancardi in a pre-draft media call, “and I see him as a small-ball center. He can take opposing bigs away from the basket and knock down the three. That’s the strength of his game.”

The Grizzlies’ roster is far from being set, with The Athletic reporting last week that it is “hopeful” Ja Morant is a backup plan for failed Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitors. The 26-year-old has played in just 79 games over the past three seasons due to injuries and suspensions.

In 2020, Morant was viewed as a franchise cornerstone after he won Rookie of the Year. But on Tuesday, the Grizzlies set their sights on a new future with Boozer.

Boozer carries a winning legacy back to high school, where he won four consecutive state championships for Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. His only Duke team finished with a 35-3 overall record and won the ACC Tournament.

“Cameron Boozer is this year’s Jalen Brunson in terms of a winner,” Biancardi said. “I think we have to value how much he has won in high school, how much he’s won in college, and the impact that he has on winning.”

Boozer and the No. 1-seeded Blue Devils bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the Elite Eight after blowing a 19-point first-half lead to No. 2-seeded UConn in a 73-72 loss. Huskies guard Braylon Mullins drilled a logo 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to take the lead in the game, in which Boozer scored 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots.

Across four March Madness games, Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Duke beat No. 5-seeded St. John’s, No. 9-seeded TCU and No. 16-seeded Siena en route to the Elite Eight.

While Boozer wasn’t able to match his father’s legacy of delivering an NCAA Championship to Duke — Carlos Boozer and the Blue Devils won in 2001 — if everything goes to plan, he could achieve a feat his dad never did.

Win an NBA Championship.

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 8:24 PM.