The Memphis Grizzlies entered the 2026 NBA Draft with the No. 3 overall pick, and they left with a possible franchise cornerstone in Cameron Boozer.
The Memphis Grizzlies entered the 2026 NBA Draft with the No. 3 overall pick, and they left with a possible franchise cornerstone in Cameron Boozer.
Boozer, who used a dominant season at Duke University to solidly his place as a special prospect, is expected to do big things at the NBA level, and former Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas thinks the newcomer will make his new team and teammates "so much better."
Boozer took home a variety of Player of the Year awards in his lone season at Duke. It felt like he earned just about every accolade in the book, and his production spoke for itself, as he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists game.
Those numbers aren't normal, especially for a freshman playing in the ACC. And as Thomas mentioned, Boozer often makes an impact beyond the stat sheet as well. That's music to the ears of the Grizzlies, who need their investment to pay off in the youngster.
Incredibly, Boozer is still just 18 years old. He will turn 19 this week. He has spent his final days as an 18-year-old getting some valuable Summer League reps in, and he has certainly looked the part of a future star this month.
In four total Summer League games (two in Salt Lake City and two in Las Vegas), Boozer has averaged 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from beyond the arc.
While there are sure to be growing pains in the rookie's debut season, he has shown that he will be able to make an impact right away, which is a thrilling thought for a player his age.
Boozer wasn't the only player the Grizzlies landed in the 2026 NBA Draft. They also picked up No. 21 overall pick Karim López and No. 32 overall pick Richie Saunders, a couple of prospects who will have chances of their own to work into Memphis' future.
All in all, it has been a transformational offseason for the Grizzlies, who moved on from star guard Ja Morant in a trade earlier this summer. The Boozer era has begun, and the franchise is hoping that there are brighter days ahead after missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
If Thomas is right about Boozer's game, the Grizzlies are going to be thanking themselves down the line for selecting him.
