Cameron Boozer looks like a future NBA star.
NBA analyst Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Memphis Grizzlies got a "draft steal" in Cameron Boozer.
The Grizzlies selected Boozer with the third overall pick in this year's draft.
In any other draft, Boozer may have gone first. Memphis is lucky AJ Dybantsa went to the Washington Wizards and Darryn Peterson went the Utah Jazz.
Boozer won the NCAA Player of the Year Award last season. 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.
As of this writing, Boozer has played in four games with the Grizzlies this summer. He's averaging 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game and shooting 55.1% overall, 47.1% from 3 and 76.9% from the foul line.
It's going to be a while before the Grizzlies make the playoffs again, but at least they have a young building block in Boozer, who may not have a single weakness in his game, per Bailey.
"Boozer is very advanced as a passer and ball-handler for a 6'9" player," Bailey wrote. "He has a deeper reservoir of post moves than most of the NBA's current power forwards and centers. And he can shoot threes, too. The wide range of skills and abilities helped him lead the NCAA in box plus/minus last season, and it's helping him quietly dominate this summer, too."
In the post-Ja Morant era, Memphis is building around Boozer, Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, GG Jackson, Karim López and Jaylen Wells. Boozer is the new franchise player in Memphis and he looks like he has the skills to be a perennial All-Star.
"Boozer already very much looks the part of an NBA player with the body and size that towered over his peers during his first action in Las Vegas," Jamal Collier of ESPN wrote. "His skills, shooting and strength are already advantages that made it easy to see why he had, perhaps, the highest floor of any of the top prospects. And getting to play a few games at Salt Lake City summer league helped him prepare to be more comfortable in his first Vegas appearance."
Boozer looks polished and poised, which is both expected and remarkable, given that he's an 18-year-old rookie. It's a solid start from a player who appears solid or better in just about every aspect already.
After moving on from Ja Morant, Boozer brings the Grizzlies a focal point they can build around offensively from Day 1.
