Carlos Boozer Reveals Advice He's Given to Cameron Ahead of Rookie Season With Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer's dad, Carlos, played in 861 NBA games. He made two All-Star teams and went to the Conference Finals twice. 

Ahead of his son's rookie season with Memphis, Carlos told ESPN the advice he's given to Cameron.

"Yeah, I'm proud of him," Carlos said. "First off, I know this has been his dream to be in this position, to be in the NBA and have a chance to play for a team that loves him. And so, I just hope he takes in these moments, like be where your feet are. Be present, enjoy these moments because they go by so fast.

"I still remember my first game against Sacramento back in 2002, when they had Chris Webber. And I was, you know, 20-something years ago. .. Be as present as you can be, enjoy every moment because they go by so fast."

Cam was the first underclassman to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a season since Larry Bird in 1976-77. He won the Player of the Year award last season in college. The Duke forward averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc and 78.9% from the free-throw line.

In Summer League, Cam played well, averaging 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 45.2% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 77.3% from the free-throw line.

The youngster made the Summer League First Team and led Memphis to the championship game, a contest the Golden State Warriors won. 

Selected third overall in the 2026 draft behind AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, Cam is expected to be a day-one starter for the Grizzlies this season alongside Cedrick Coward, last season's All-Rookie First Team selection, and talented big man Zach Edey.

Cam's combination of playmaking, physicality and positional flexibility as a 6-foot-10 forward has drawn comparisons to the multi-skilled roster construction that defined the New York Knicks' 2025-26 championship approach, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.   

“Versatility is the name of the game. That’s what teams are looking for,” Cam told The Athletic. “Teams want five guys who can make plays. Look at the Knicks this year. Everyone on that team was capable of doing more than one thing. Everyone was capable of playing on or off the basketball. That’s what I feel like I can do best. I can screen. I can handle it. You can put me in a lot of different scenarios.”

The Grizzlies may be fun to watch this season, but they will likely be a lottery team.

However, in the long run, that's good so that the front office can acquire more talent around Cam in future drafts. 

It's not simply a matter of Cam's production. We also have to look at how he's producing and that's where his short-term projection gets awfully optimistic.

Cam is strong around the rim and has a soft touch. He can score on the interior in a way that we can expect to translate into the regular season. His passing chops won't be going anywhere, either. Cam seems to always make the right read.

His game is simple. Cam isn't especially flashy, but he can get to his spots and make the right decisions when he gets there. In time, that will help him bend NBA defenses like a star player is supposed to.

If there's a concern, it's that Cam has hit just 28.6% of his 4.8 three-point attempts per game. Ideally, he'll improve on that mark throughout his career, if not immediately. He's likely to struggle with that as a rookie.

At the same time, almost every player has some hole in their game. Even if Cam never improves his shooting, he's flashed star potential throughout the 2026-27 NBA preseason: