Despite tournament heartbreak, Cameron Boozer showcased elite skills and court vision, proving why he's a top NBA prospect destined for future greatness.
The next time Duke’s Cameron Boozer steps on the court for a game that counts, there’s a real chance it’s on the same court he experienced heartbreak yesterday.
Duke squandered a 19 point lead, and gave up a lead taking three from 35+ feet with .3 left on the clock, as UConn advanced to the final four. Although his likely lone freshman season ends in despair, his efforts over the weekend showed exactly why he’s considered a top-three prospect in the upcoming class.
Now, Boozer has already played three high-leverage games at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C..
"It's the Capital; it's a great city...it's been great vibes out here for sure," Boozer told me postgame after Duke's victory over St John's.
Boozer scored 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out 4 assists on Sunday. His Elite Eight performance became arguably his best game of the entire tournament. After struggling with St John’s physicality in the first half on Friday, Boozer bounced back in an extremely impressive way.
After watching him in-person this weekend, I can say confidently that doubts that exist around Boozer regarding his athleticism are blown out of proportion. He uses 6’9, 250 pound frame to his advantage, moving bodies in the low post. Also, his ability to seal off defenders under the rim and allow easy entry passes from the perimeter gave him plenty of layups.
Boozer’s ability to process the game isn’t normal for an 18-year-old. Whenever he had the ball on offense, it looked like he knew exactly what would happen next, at the exact moment it would happen. He was patient.
Boozer getting his back to the basket on the low-block becomes a nightmare scenario for the average defense. Once teams send over a double, which happens almost every time, Boozer always knew exactly where the open shooters were. I was amazed by his court vision. It’s very easy to imagine a scenario where having four NBA-level shooters on the court with him allows for great spacing.
It’s hard to find players who can understand defensive coverages at his age. He does a phenomenal job choosing his spots to take it to the rim. His skills with the basketball in his hands are also extremely helpful for someone his size. He can run pick-and-roll actions as the screener, or the ball-handler.
When it comes to his game’s translation to the next level, I have a hard time imagining it doesn’t. He showed capability to move his feet well on the defensive end, which eased some concerns on that end. The NBA is a different beast. Players are bigger, faster, stronger, and many are just as intelligent as a processor as Boozer. However, he’s not even 19 until July. The room for his game to grow is immense.
One area he’ll need to iron out is his outside shot. I think in order to open things up for himself in the paint in the NBA, he’ll need to prove himself as a capable perimeter player. He shot an impressive 39% in his freshman season, but his percentage dipped in the postseason, as he went 2/11 from behind the arc.
There’s plenty of reasons to believe Boozer would be a great fit with almost any team that drafts him. In Washington he’d slot in nicely in the front court alongside Alex Sarr or Anthony Davis. Given that Davis’ health has been an issue for multiple years, Boozer could serve as a nice succession plan for Davis.
The draft lottery is on May 10th, and the Wizards are priming themselves for a chance at the top pick. Washington and Indiana currently are tied for the league’s fewest number of wins at 17.