Duke's Cameron Boozer Struggles in NBA Debut With Grizzlies

The Duke Blue Devils had their star forward, Cameron Boozer, selected with the third overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Boozer will have a major role in his rookie season on a rebuilding Grizzlies team. However, in his NBA debut, the 19-year-old was very inefficient, as he had seven points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, shooting 2-for-15 from the field and 0-for-6 from three.

It was a rough debut, but Memphis was able to get the win. Boozer will look to get better throughout the season and be a contender for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Boozer spent just one year at Duke before going to the NBA, but he played at an elite level, earning Consensus All-American honors and the AP Player of the Year. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from deep.

His consistent three-point shooting made him an even better prospect, as he has a strong all-around game. He led the Blue Devils to a 35-3 record, but they fell to the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament Regional Final.

Boozer was the best player for the Blue Devils in the 2025-26 season, as he was a consistent double-double threat while providing quality defense and shooting efficiently. Boozer has also proven he can be a quality playmaker, which translated to his NBA debut, as he had five dimes and just one turnover.

He also crashed the glass with 11 boards, but needs to be more efficient as a scorer. Boozer will get plenty of shot attempts throughout the season and could be the Grizzlies' leading scorer. 

Boozer is in a great position to compete for the Rookie of the Year Award, and if he wins it, he would become the second straight Duke player to win the award, as Cooper Flagg won it in the 2025-26 season.

Flagg had a strong rookie year, averaging 21 points per game along with 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals, shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from behind the arc. 

Boozer will look to have a successful rookie year like Flagg and become the fifth Blue Devils player to win the Rookie of the Year Award. The 19-year-old forward will need to improve his efficiency in the upcoming games to have a strong rookie campaign.