Cameron Boozer is wasting no time making the pre-draft doubters look bad.
The criticism was familiar enough: not athletic enough, too reliant on bully ball, no real offensive bag, and supposedly a defender who would get exposed. Two preseason games in, that whole line of thinking is already taking on water.
Boozer followed up an impressive preseason debut earlier this week with another strong showing Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic. In 22 minutes, he finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in the Memphis Grizzlies’ four-point loss.
Cameron Boozer: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 4/7 FG, 2/3 3FG, 6/7 FT, 79 TS% vs Magic
Another great showing for the Grizzlies rookie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EsvJft1BXJ
- Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 8, 2026
What stood out wasn’t just the production. Boozer showed a little bit of everything: the three-point shot, the footwork, the ability to create off the dribble and get to the rim, and the passing touch to see the floor. He looked comfortable doing damage in different ways, which is exactly why the early returns have been so loud.
The matchup work is already there too. Boozer can go after a bigger body like Nikola Vucevic by putting it on the deck and finishing at the rim.
Against someone like Paolo Banchero, he can use his strength to absorb contact and still get where he wants. If defenders back off, he can punish them from deep.
That’s a tough puzzle for any defense to solve.
His basketball IQ is showing up just as clearly. After only two NBA preseason games, he already looks like a player who knows how to find the right answer no matter what’s in front of him.
There’s still more preseason to go, and Memphis has now gotten through half of its schedule. The Grizzlies head to Chicago on Friday night to face the Bulls, and that one should draw plenty of attention because Boozer will be matched up with North Carolina rookie Caleb Wilson. The two battled in Summer League and are set for another round at 8pm ET on NBA TV.
Memphis closes the preseason with one more game on 10/16 against the Charlotte Hornets. Then Boozer’s NBA debut arrives on 10/21 at home against the Utah Jazz, where he’ll face fellow rookie and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson.
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The challenge now is that the next version has to prove itself almost immediately. Dukes roster mix is tilted toward continuity, with four of last seasons top six scorers back and nine newcomers joining the fold, but the schedule is loaded with high-end tests and the margin for another deep March run may be thinner than it has looked in recent years. [Read more 🡒]