NBA GMs Make Cameron Boozer Clear Favorite for Rookie of the Year

Half of the general managers who answered NBA.com's 25th annual GM Survey picked Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer to win Rookie of the Year. The poll is run every preseason by NBA.com's John Schuhmann.

Caleb Wilson of Chicago was second with 20%, ahead of Washington's AJ Dybantsa at 17% and Utah's Darryn Peterson at 13%.

A year ago, 97% of GMs had picked Dallas' Cooper Flagg. He won the award in April by 26 points over Charlotte's Kon Knueppel, 412 to 386, with 56 first-place votes to Knueppel's 44.

The Grizzlies made Boozer the third pick in June at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He spent one season at Duke, the same school where his father, Carlos, won a national title in 2001 before an NBA career that included two All-Star selections.

Boozer recalled his father's advice on draft night.

"Every day is an opportunity to get better and attack the day," Boozer said.

ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas watched plenty of Boozer at Duke last season.

"He's still really young," Bilas said. "He's actually younger than a number of the other prospects that we've been talking about, but at his size, his skill level, but he's got an understanding of how to play that's unusual, and he's got what I would call great processing skills."

Boozer weighed in at 253 pounds at the combine in Chicago. Without shoes he stood 6-foot-8¼, his wingspan measured 7-foot-1½, and his standing reach was 9 feet.

Boozer, 21st pick Karim López, and BYU's Richie Saunders, who went 32nd, were introduced together at FedEx Forum on June 25 with coach Tuomas Iisalo looking on. A week later, Boozer threw out the first pitch before a Memphis Redbirds game at AutoZone Park.

His Summer League debut came two days later in Salt Lake City, where he went 7-of-11 from the field for 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 24 minutes of a 111-74 win over Oklahoma City.

The Grizzlies outscored the Thunder 33-22 in each of the first two quarters and 19-8 in the third, and they played Utah on July 6 and Atlanta on July 7 before moving on to Las Vegas.

Former Boston forward Brian Scalabrine talked about that game on SiriusXM NBA Radio on July 6.

"He's going to help the team win," Scalabrine said. "He's not just a glue guy; he's actually going to be a player you can go to in certain situations."

Over the full summer, Boozer averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals and made the All-Summer League First Team. He made 45.2% of his shots, 33.3% of his 3-pointers, and 77.3% of his free throws. Memphis played its way to the Las Vegas title game and lost to Golden State.

Cedric Coward, an All-Rookie First Team wing last season, is projected to start next to Boozer. The Grizzlies also traded for Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and Isaiah Stewart this summer and signed Quinten Post. Zach Edey and GG Jackson are also back.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes listed Memphis among five teams that quietly crushed the 2026 offseason.

Memphis went 25-57 last season, scoring 114.7 points per game and allowing 120.7, and didn't receive a vote in the GMs' Western Conference rankings.