Cameron Boozer is wasting no time making his mark in the NBA.
The former Duke star has jumped to the top of NBA.com’s rookie ladder after a fast start with the Memphis Grizzlies, who are 6-2 and sitting near the top of the Western Conference. At 19, Boozer has already become a major piece for Memphis in the early part of the 2026-27 season.
His numbers tell the story of a player doing a little bit of everything. Boozer is averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 36.4 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three, and 94.4 percent from the free-throw line.
The efficiency hasn’t been pristine, but his impact has gone well beyond scoring. He’s helping the Grizzlies win on both ends.
That all-around profile looks familiar to anyone who watched him at Duke. Boozer spent one season with the Blue Devils before Memphis took him with the third overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
In college, he put together a dominant campaign, winning the AP Player of the Year Award and posting 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 55.6 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from deep.
Duke went 35-3 with Boozer leading the way and reached the NCAA Tournament Regional Final before falling to the UConn Huskies. It ended in disappointment, but Boozer left his stamp on the program and has carried that momentum into the pros.
What stands out early with Memphis is how complete his game has been. Boozer leads the Grizzlies in rebounds per game and ranks second on the team in both points and assists per game. His passing has been a real asset, creating cleaner looks for teammates and adding another layer to Memphis’ offense.
If he keeps producing at this level and sharpens the efficiency, Boozer will be right in the Rookie of the Year mix. That would put him in line to follow another former Blue Devil, Cooper Flagg, who won the award in the 2025-26 season after averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from beyond the arc. Flagg beat out another former Duke star, Kon Knueppel, for the honor.
In Other News...
Duke Just Delivered A First Half That Changes The ACC Mood
Duke spent the first half turning the rivalry game into a showcase, and Andrew Pellicciottas return of a missed 50-yard field goal attempt for a 109-yard touchdown at the horn only sharpened the statement. By halftime, the Blue Devils were in complete control against NC State, with Nate Sheppard and Walker Eget helping power an offense that kept the pressure on and left the home crowd with little reason to believe a comeback was coming.
The bigger picture is what makes the start so notable for Duke. A 31-3 halftime lead does more than tilt one game, it changes the mood around a season, especially when the Blue Devils are pairing explosive special teams work with steady offense and a defense that has made life miserable for an ACC opponent. The question now is whether they can carry that same edge through the rest of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Hot Start Is Raising An Even Bigger Question
Dukes early season has opened with the kind of lopsided wins that make people take notice, but the bigger takeaway so far is the way Jon Scheyers group has carried itself through them. The Blue Devils have looked sharp in their first two blowout games, and the message coming out of the locker room has been less about the scoreboard than the habits behind it. Dame Sarr pointed to the teams focus on fundamentals and constant improvement, which fits the tone Scheyer has tried to establish from the start.
For a program with championship expectations, the hot start is useful only if it turns into something sturdier. Dukes players keep talking about the collective mindset, and that matters when the season is still young and the margin for error feels small. The early results have been encouraging, but the real question hanging over this group is how far that approach can take it when the schedule tightens and the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Gets A Timely Boost For A Road Test That Matters
Duke heads into an ACC road trip to NC State with a little more momentum and a little more health than it had a week ago. The Blue Devils just handled Boston College, and now they get a chance to keep building against an in-state rival they have beaten in each of the last two meetings, a stretch that has helped make this matchup feel a bit more meaningful than a standard midseason conference game.
The injury report is where the encouraging news really starts to matter. Several Duke players are listed as probable, and one key defensive piece is set to return after missing the past two games, which gives the Blue Devils a better chance to match up with an NC State team that has been hard to pin down. The Wolfpack have flashed plenty of scoring in their wins, but they have also given up a lot of points in their losses, leaving Duke with a road test that feels winnable if it can carry over the same edge it showed last time out. [Read more 🡒]