Cam Boozer is already giving Grizzlies fans a reason to feel good about the third pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
That draft class is being talked about like one that could end up among the best in league history, and Boozer sits right in the middle of the buzz. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson are part of the same loaded group, but Memphis has to like what it’s hearing about Boozer after John Hollinger of The Athletic weighed in.
Boozer was selected third overall, and he looked the part in Summer League. His offensive game stood out right away because it comes with real polish.
He still has work to do with his handle and needs to keep developing defensively, especially as a rim protector, but there were already encouraging signs. His jumper looked smoother, and he held up well as a perimeter defender.
The bigger takeaway came when Hollinger discussed the Rookie of the Year race and singled Boozer out with a strong endorsement:
"The No. 1 player on my draft board was also one of the best players at summer league. While Boozer will face considerable competition from Dybantsa and others, he has the advantage of not fighting established stars to be the top option." - John Hollinger, The Athletic
That’s the kind of praise Memphis fans were hoping to hear. In a draft class this deep, it says plenty about how highly Hollinger views Boozer. Dybantsa, Peterson and Wilson all landed in situations that could help them produce early, but Boozer’s path in Memphis may be especially clean if he can seize the top role.
Before the draft, the fit between Boozer and the Grizzlies already made sense. Now, the idea that he could contend for Rookie of the Year only adds to the optimism. It also pushes back against the idea that he doesn’t have the same upside as some of the other top names in the class.
Of course, Rookie of the Year won’t define everything about Boozer’s career. But if he takes home the award in a class this strong, that would say a lot about where he’s headed. Memphis also has other young talent in place, along with veterans Ty Jerome and Isaiah Stewart.
Dybantsa and Peterson were drafted ahead of Boozer and are in spots that could lead to winning right away. Wilson, taken fourth overall by the Bulls, should also have a high-usage rookie season. That setup keeps the debate alive about where Boozer stacks up against Wilson, too.
Still, if Boozer wins Rookie of the Year over that group, it would do more than settle a draft argument. It would show that the doubts about his upside were overstated and that he helped the Grizzlies win more than expected.
For now, the early signs point to Memphis hitting big with the Cam Boozer pick.
In Other News...
Rockets Offseason Just Intensified A Debate Fans Cannot Ignore
The Grizzlies offseason picture keeps getting tied to the same larger Southwest Division conversation, and a lot of it starts with how teams are sorting out their wing and backcourt depth. Memphis has been in the mix around Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but the broader read is that his fit may make more sense elsewhere, which matters for a roster that already has several players competing for time at shooting guard and small forward.
Dylan Harpers latest comments only add another layer to that same theme of roles and patience. The Spurs guard said he is not chasing individual benchmarks in his second NBA season, preferring to get better day by day and learn from each experience, while also making clear he would be fine coming off the bench again as San Antonio builds off its Finals run. For Memphis, the unresolved part is how all of those moving pieces around the division eventually shape the market and the minutes available. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans Just Got Another Reason To Wonder About This Draft Pick
Karim Lopez is officially under contract with the Grizzlies, making him the final first-round pick from the 2026 draft class to sign his rookie scale deal. For Memphis, it closes one of the cleaner offseason checklist items and gives the team another young piece to fold into its long-term plans after taking Lopez at No. 21.
The bigger roster question now sits a tier below the first round, where the league-wide signing pace has been slower and Memphis still has decisions to make with its own second-round group. The Grizzlies are juggling roster spots and cap space as they sort out whether to bring those picks in on standard deals or steer them toward other contract paths, with timing and available room likely to matter just as much as the players themselves. [Read more 🡒]