NBA Analyst Sends Strong Message About Former Duke Star Cam Boozer

The Duke Blue Devils basketball team has seen plenty of star players come through the program over the years.

Duke is one of the blue-blood programs in college basketball, with top prospects wanting to play in Durham. The Blue Devils have built up a strong reputation for how they develop players, giving them the tools to be successful at the NBA level.

While many of these players only play at Duke for one season, their time in Durham seems to be very special. And for former Duke star Cam Boozer, that seems to have been the case, helping him be drafted No. 3 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Boozer only spent one year with Duke, but he made the most of that season. The former Duke star averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, while shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the three-point line.

Due to his success on the court, Boozer won The Associated Press Men's National Player of the Year award. The forward became only the fifth freshman to win this honor, showcasing how special of a talent he was.

Now in the NBA, getting ready for his first season, Boozer is looking to dominate on the court. And analyst Shaun Powell of NBA.com is a full believer in Boozer ahead of his first year in the league.

Powell believes that Boozer has all the tools to be the franchise player for the Grizzlies, bringing talent, energy, and high basketball IQ. If he can perform as he did in college, the Grizzlies will have gotten a steal at the No. 3 pick.

Memphis was excited to land Boozer in this draft, giving them someone to build around for the foreseeable future. The Grizzlies underwent big changes this offseason, tearing down the roster that had given them success in recent seasons.

But now with Boozer leading the charge, the future is very bright for the Grizzlies, if they can build around him. Memphis needs to take advantage of having a player like Boozer, giving him ample opportunities to thrive on the court.

Boozer is the No. 1 option in Memphis now, which should allow him a chance to develop and grow into the player that the team believes he can be. The former Duke star has all the means to be a superstar in the NBA, and it will now be up to him to see how high of a ceiling he can have in the league.