Cameron Boozer bringing his winning ways to Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 3 pick

BROOKLYN – Winner.

That is the word many often associate with former Duke star Cameron Boozer.

Sure, the 6-foot-9 forward-center — who was just selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies — is also known for his high IQ, elite passing and his ability to score efficiently from anywhere on the floor.

But that trait — winning — often separates him from all the other top players in this year’s Draft
class.

At NBA Draft Media Day, Boozer was asked what parts of his game would carry over to the NBA.

His answer shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who has ever seen him play.

“My mind, my ability to process the game and make reads,” Boozer said. “I’m a winner and a leader. I’m a high-character guy.”

In short, winning has marked all levels of Boozer’s career to date.

At Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Boozer led his team to an 114-14 record, four Florida state championships and the Chipotle National Championship. He was also the two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year.

His AAU team, Nightrydas Elite, won the 15U, 16U and 17U Nike EYBL Peach Jam championships
in consecutive years.

Boozer also won FIBA gold medals with USA Basketball at the U17 World Cup in 2024 (while also earning MVP honors) and the U16 Americas Championship in 2023.

As a freshman, he led Duke to the Elite Eight, helping the Blue Devils win the ACC title as Boozer collected ACC tournament MVP honors. He was an All-American and won every major national player of the year award as well — all while averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and
1.4 steals per game and shot 39.1% on 3-pointers.

Despite those accolades, Boozer slipped to No. 3 (behind AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson) in what appears to be one of the most talented draft classes yet. He has been on the radar of NBA scouts and executives since he entered high school and will turn 19 in July.

Boozer’s father, Carlos, won a national championship at Duke in 2001. After being selected 35th in the 2002 NBA Draft, he played 13 seasons in the NBA, posting 16.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 2.2 apg in 861 career games. He was a two-time All-Star and won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.

Cameron said he knew he wanted to be an NBA player since the sixth grade.

“I worked my entire life to be here,” Cameron said. “It’s what I dreamed of. To reach your dream is a great feeling. When you do something your whole life and you finally get there, it takes a moment for it to sink in.

“I’m super excited. I think you play the game the right way and I hope to bring that to Memphis. They have a great young core.”

Cameron recalls advice he got from his father: “Everyday is an opportunity to get better and attack the day. Capitalize on today.”

How does Boozer fit with the Grizzlies?

Memphis was 25-57 in 2025-26 but are set at center with Zach Edey. That means Boozer likely slides in alongside Edey to give Memphis a strong frontcourt duo for the future.

Boozer has great size at 6-foot-9, 253 pounds, is a physical presence with above-average playmaking ability and can serve as one of the building blocks as the Grizzlies rebuild.

ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas watched plenty of Boozer this season and has high praise for him.

“I think he’s the best pure basketball player in the draft,” Bilas said. “He’s going to be, if he stays healthy, a truly outstanding pro. He’s still really young. 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.”