Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer says Memphis is ready to surprise the NBA this season, dismissing the idea that its rebuild means another lottery year.
Cameron Boozer doesn't believe the Memphis Grizzlies have to wait in order to compete.
The third pick in the 2026 NBA Draft believes his team can surpass expectations this season, dismissing the idea that a roster reset means another lottery appearance.
"We are a team who is going to really surprise people this year. We are going to be shockingly good to people," Boozer told Grind City Media. "I think people don't really understand that just because obviously it was kind of a rebuild, but you look at the players we have, the roster who we are bringing in this year, and I think we are going to have something pretty special."
Boozer arrives in Memphis as a focal point on a Grizzlies team that went 25-57 last season, including losing 21 of its last 23 games. However, Memphis was clearly tanking and finished its worst season since drafting Ja Morant in 2019. Now, Boozer presents a needed fresh start.
The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, he was the consensus national player of the year after one season at Duke. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 55.6% from the floor, 39.1% from 3-point range, and 78.9% on free throws, and he led college basketball with a 17.1 box plus-minus. He turns 19 in July and could be the youngest player in the league next season.
Memphis is expected to pair him in the frontcourt with 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. Second-year wing Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells are among the young players the franchise is building around, a core general manager Zach Kleiman has reshaped since the 2025 coaching change that installed Tuomas Iisalo. The Grizzlies added to that group in the draft, using their later selections on forwards Karim Lopez and Richie Saunders.
Boozer led Duke to the Elite Eight and swept major national player of the year honors last season. He says the scrutiny of a franchise-cornerstone role doesn't intimidate him, citing a career as the most-watched player on every team.
He also relies on his father's advice as he gets ready for his debut professional season. Boozer mentioned that the most important guidance is to stay focused on the present, instead of worrying about Summer League or the regular season, and to see each day as an opportunity to improve.
The Grizzlies' success hinges on how quickly their young talent develops and meshes, and Edey's health after ankle surgery. Regardless, Boozer believes the team has more than enough to have a successful 2026-27 season.
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