Duke’s Cameron Boozer announces NBA Draft intent after sensational freshman year
Duke’s Cameron Boozer is officially taking his game to the next level.
While taking his time in making an announcement, Boozer announced Friday he will enter the 2026 NBA Draft after a sensational freshman season that had the 6-9, 250-pound forward named the ACC and national player of the year.
Boozer, who is generally expected to be among the top three picks in the draft, was the centerpiece of the Blue Devils’ 35-3 season. With Boozer averaging 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds, Duke ended the regular season No. 1 in the AP poll, won the ACC Tournament championship and was the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
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Boozer was named college basketball’s player of the year by the AP and also won the Wooden Award and Naismith Award while being named a consensus first-team All American.
In a post that hit social media just before 7 p.m. Friday night, Boozer said: “Thank you for everything (Duke University). Duke Blue forever.”
Twin brother Cayden Boozer replied playfully afterward: “I guess we got a lot to talk about tonight.”
Boozer joins Duke teammate Isaiah Evans in declaring for the NBA draft. Evans, the Blue Devils’ second-leading scorer, leaves after his sophomore season.
Boozer’s game is about points, power and rebounding, but he also has the ability to find the open man when double-teamed, as he often was this past season. He averaged 4.1 assists a game, with a season-high nine in a road win at Florida State.
Boozer has 3-point range and is a solid ballhandler in the open court for his size, at times helping bring the ball up against pressure defenses this past season.
Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden, were five-star prep recruits out of Miami who followed the path of his father, former Duke All-America Carlos Boozer, in playing for the Blue Devils. Cayden Boozer, a 6-4 guard, will return for his sophomore season at Duke while also noting it will be “weird” to be playing without his brother for the first time.
The Boozer brothers hoped to lead Duke to a sixth national championship but the Devils were knocked out of the NCAAs by Connecticut in the East regional final won on a last-second 3-pointer by the Huskies’ Braylon Mullins. Cam Boozer had 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks in what would be his final college game.
Boozer’s first game was against Texas in Charlotte in Duke’s season opener. Scoreless in the first half, he had 15 points and 13 rebounds in a 75-60 win.
“I think he’s one of the best players in the country,” Texas coach Sean Miller said after the game. “I have a hard time thinking there’s a freshman who’s better. He’s a one-man wrecking crew.”
Many opposing coaches would say much the same as Boozer had 22 double-doubles, including 15 games with at least 20 points. He is the only Division I player in the last 30 years to notch at least 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists while shooting better than 50% from the field in a regular season. Boozer was the fifth freshman to win the AP player of the year award, joining the Blue Devils’ Cooper Flagg (2025) and Zion Williamson (2019), plus Anthony Davis of Kentucky (2012) and Kevin Durant of Texas (2007).
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Duke’s Cameron Boozer announces NBA Draft intent after sensational freshman year."
