Duke University product Cameron Boozer is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies, and he has high hopes for the franchise.
The Memphis Grizzlies had an exciting first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, headlined by their selection of Duke University product Cameron Boozer at No. 3 overall.
After being picked by Memphis, Boozer said he thinks he can bring the Grizzlies back to "where they once were."
In talking about where the Grizzlies "once were," Boozer pointed to when the franchise had a "little spurt" and was making playoff runs.
That could be a reference to the early 2020s, when the Grizzlies made the playoffs a few years in a row and reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2022, or it could be a reference to the 2010s, when Memphis was a perennial playoff team and made some real noise in the postseason some years.
That stretch in the 2010s -- which included a trip to the Western Conference Finals -- was the most successful era in the franchise's history.
Boozer also hinted that he thinks the Grizzlies could surprise some people as soon as this coming season.
The franchise needs a lift after a 2025-26 campaign in which it won just 25 games, and Boozer could be exactly what's needed. In his lone season at Duke, he was named the AP Player of the Year nationally and put on a show. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range.
Fellow top prospects AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson were selected ahead of Boozer in the first round on Tuesday, but the Duke product is an elite talent who could've been the top pick in a different draft.
Boozer wasn't the only rookie the Grizzlies picked up on Tuesday. After some shuffling, they also landed international prospect Karim López. López is another exciting piece who figures to factor into Memphis' future, and it feels like a nice vision is coming into focus for the franchise.
The Grizzlies will also have another chance to add some rookie talent when the second round begins on Wednesday. While second-round picks can be hit or miss, the team has the second selection in the second round (No. 32 overall), giving Memphis a better chance of landing a player it feels good about.
Having the second pick in the second round also gives the team the benefit of building a firm plan about who to take without having to worry about much shuffling before the pick.
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