NBA Draft Analyst Makes Bold Declaration on Duke Star Cameron Boozer

The 2026 NBA Draft features a class filled with star power and high upside, but who’s selected with the first or second pick is still up in the air.

Most mock drafts have settled on a familiar top two: BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.

But what about Duke’s Cameron Boozer?

The founder of DraftExpress.com, Jonathan Givony seems to suggest that Boozer actually has more upside to be a top-two pick in the draft.

Boozer, who won the National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and the ACC Tournament MVP possesses an intriguing skillset that can end up being dominant in the NBA for years to come.

Givony has a ton of connections in NBA circles, primarily in the analytics community. And when he hopped on The Herd to chat with Jason MacIntyre, Givony laid out his case for giving Boozer a look at the first pick.

“If you talk to the analytics people in NBA front offices, who have a lot of influence, 100% of them have Cam Boozer at number one at the top of their draft model. That’s not just because of what he did in college, where he was the most productive player in college basketball… but also dating back to what he did in high school, as well as at the FIBA level. Cam Boozer has been the best player in every setting that he’s competed on since he was 14 years old. And that goes a long way for the analytics models.”

There’s something to be said about a player who imposes his will constantly on the floor.

Not only is he a bruiser on the low post, but he can be utilized on the ball or off the ball. Givony even likens him to a player like Nikola Jokic.

A comparison of that nature can be dangerous, and set up listeners for disappointment, but listening to how Givony explains it actually makes sense. He’s not comparing him to Jokic, he’s comparing the way both of them see the game.

“I like [the Jokic] comp just because of the passing ability. That’s really what separates Cam Boozer, is his feel for the game, he’s absolutely exceptional. Defensively, off the ball, he’s elite, he’s a great rebounder, and even though he’s not a great athlete, he’s just first to every loose ball, his processing speed and reaction time… We saw Duke use him as a point guard at times… Teams that are drafting him at 1 and 2 are giving him a very hard look in this draft, even though that might not be the public sentiment.”

Given the fact that the Washington Wizards are picking first overall, they may be inclined to take a player like Boozer for sheer need, since it seems like their relationship with power forward Anthony Davis is already on thin ice.

Public mock drafts may continue to favor Dybantsa and Peterson at the top, but according to Givony, NBA analytics departments see things differently. 

And if those voices carry as much influence as he suggests, Boozer's name could be called much earlier than many fans expect.

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