Cameron Boozer doesn’t need a viral dunk to announce himself. He just keeps stacking production, and the Memphis Grizzlies keep stacking wins.
That was the storyline again last night, as Memphis moved to 5-0 after beating the Portland Trail Blazers in a game the Grizzlies entered as underdogs. The biggest swing came after Ja Morant, facing his old team, looked every bit the player Grizzlies fans remember in the first half before a hamstring injury forced him out for the rest of the night.
Morant’s night had the edge and urgency you’d expect in that matchup. Then it stopped. And Memphis kept rolling anyway.
That’s where Boozer took over the conversation. The second-youngest player ever to record a triple-double in the NBA, and one of the youngest players in the league this season, showed why Memphis took him No. 3 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. It also showed why the two teams that passed before the Grizzlies may end up looking back on that decision for a long time.
Boozer’s game doesn’t hit you the same way Morant’s did at his peak. Morant’s best nights were built on the kind of jaw-dropping plays that can take over a timeline in seconds.
Boozer isn’t trying to win that contest. His value shows up in the box score, in the flow of the game, and in all the places that matter once the ball is live.
What stands out most is how naturally he sees the game. His feel is ahead of schedule, and the skill set is there to match it.
He moves like a player who understands every layer of the floor. The idea of a big man who could lead the league in rebounding while also putting up 6 or 7 assists a night carries a Jokic-ian feel, though that comparison only goes so far.
Nikola Jokic has already won a title and multiple MVPs. Boozer is just beginning.
Even so, he brings traits Jokic doesn’t: the way he runs in transition, the way he handles the ball, the way his game bends around different matchups. He can operate at small forward or center depending on what Memphis needs. That kind of positional range is exactly the sort of thing a coach dreams about.
The bigger point, though, goes beyond the skill package. Boozer’s approach fits a team that wants to win in a different way.
He doesn’t just want the spotlight; he wants the right play. He may already be the best player on this Grizzlies team, but his presence doesn’t demand that everyone orbit him in the usual superstar way.
That distinction matters late in games. Memphis doesn’t have to ask Boozer to be the automatic final shot every time, the way teams have leaned on Morant or Zach Randolph in the past. Instead, he can be the one making the final read and deciding which option gives the Grizzlies the best chance to win.
Sometimes that means finding an open Cedric Coward. Sometimes it means feeding Zach Edey in a high-low set.
Sometimes it means Boozer taking the shot himself. That kind of flexibility is exactly what makes a team harder to guard when the games start carrying real weight.
The question of superstardom always gets framed through the loudest version of it. Will he have a signature shoe?
Will he be in commercials for telephone or clothing brands? How marketable is a player who seems locked in on basketball and winning above everything else?
Boozer may not become the next Ja Morant in that sense, and Memphis doesn’t need him to. What the Grizzlies need is a new reason to believe. In Boozer, they may already have it.
If this is the start of a new era, it looks different from the last one. That’s not a drawback. It might be the whole point.
Memphis will lose eventually, and tougher nights are coming for such a young group. But with Boozer’s talent and mental toughness, there’s already a case that this rebuild could move faster than anyone expected.
And there’s a real chance the franchise’s search for its next superstar is already over.
In Other News...
Cam Boozer Just Put Himself In Rare Grizzlies Company
Cam Boozer keeps finding ways to make a young Grizzlies season feel even more unusual. In the win over Portland, the Memphis forward filled the box score across the board and helped push the Grizzlies to a 5-0 start, a strong opening that has come with plenty of early-season buzz around the roster.
The performance also put Boozer in rare company, since he joined a very short list of players to reach a triple-double at such an early age. For Memphis, it was another sign that the rookie is already doing things the franchise has not seen before, even as the team keeps rolling through the first stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Frontcourt Depth Is Already Facing A Familiar Concern
The Grizzlies frontcourt depth is already being tested by a problem that has followed this group before. Quinten Post left Thursdays win over Portland with a right ankle injury and was ruled doubtful to return, then never made it back into the game, adding another uneasy note to a big-man rotation that has been trying to stay intact.
Isaiah Stewarts situation only adds to the concern. He missed the season opener with an ankle injury, sat out for 14 days, and has been productive since returning, but his own injury history is part of the same larger pattern. For Memphis, the issue is not just one missed game here or there, but whether the team can count on its size and physicality staying available long enough to hold up over the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Cameron Boozer Just Put Memphis In Some Rare NBA History
Cameron Boozer gave the Grizzlies a little slice of NBA history in their win over the Trail Blazers, and he did it with the kind of all-around line that turns a good night into a memorable one. In 28 minutes, the rookie filled up the box score and showed why Memphis has reason to be intrigued by how quickly his game is translating at the pro level.
At 19 years and 103 days old, Boozer moved into a rare spot in league lore, becoming the youngest forward ever to post a triple-double and the second-youngest player overall to do it. It is the sort of milestone that says plenty about his versatility, and it also leaves Memphis with a bigger question now hanging over the achievement: how often can he keep stacking nights like this? [Read more 🡒]