Cameron Boozer NBA Mock Draft scouting report: Duke forward should go No. 1 in the draft

What if I told you that there was a Duke player who was one of the youngest in his draft class, won every single championship possible while in high school, and was more productive than Cooper Flagg last season? 

That's the basic pitch for Cameron Boozer, who has the pedigree too as the son of longtime NBA veteran and two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer. In most drafts, he would be the clear No. 1 pick. 

This is not a normal draft though, and it's likely that Boozer is passed up once or twice. Despite that tremendous resume, he is No. 3 on many draft analysts' boards, behind Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa. Boozer has dominated college basketball and has clearly been the better player this year. But his weaknesses shed some doubt on how well he will do as a pro. 

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Cameron Boozer stats

Cameron Boozer height, weight, year 

• Height: 6-9
• Weight: 250 pounds
• Year: Freshman

Cameron Boozer strengths

Boozer has filled up the stat sheet this season, leading Duke in points, rebounds, and assists. His 17.8 box plus-minus, an all-in-one statistic that measures impact, is the highest since Zion Williamson's dominant freshman season in 2019. 

That all-around impact encompasses Boozer's best asset. He's an extremely versatile player who finds ways to win.

At the college level, Boozer has been a bully ball master, using his strength to pummel players down low. He's connected on a highly-efficient 62.8 percent of his field goals off post ups. He has great touch around the rim, which makes up for his mediocre leaping ability. 

Boozer can also win with skill. He can face up and attack off the dribble or kill you with his pick-and-pops. He's a reliable 3-point shooter who is No. 2 on Duke in both attempts and makes.

What makes Boozer a special prospect is that combination of scoring and passing. He has excellent vision for his size and elite feel. He's a great outlet passer. He is able to run pick-and-rolls effectively at his size, which makes him unique. 

Point Cam Boozer P&R playmaking pic.twitter.com/J2OwVi5lRL

Boozer isn't an elite defender (we'll get to that later), but he is a dominant rebounder just like his dad. He already has NBA-level strength. He gets a lot of deflections and steals due to his anticipation. He's got a good motor, and he always fills up the box score no matter the situation. 

Boozer isn't the most aesthetically-pleasing player in this class. He's not going to win a highlights contest. But you can't argue with the production. 

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Cameron Boozer weaknesses

Boozer is not the type of traditional explosive athlete that teams go for with the first few picks of the draft. He doesn't have crazy vertical pop or amazing footspeed. 

Those mediocre tools show up with his defense. He's not a rim protector, and that makes it tough to play him as a small ball five. He's more of a one position guy at power forward. He does understand how to execute various types of schemes and can be in the right place, but he doesn't have a high-level impact. He's not going to be a terrible defender, but he won't be elite either. 

Boozer has scored in a variety of ways in college, but some critics worry that he relies too much on overpowering smaller defenders and wonder how that will translate to the NBA. Post ups make up the biggest portion of his offense in college. He will need to modify his playstyle in the pros.

He also has struggled at times to create his own shot against bigger players. That showed up in some of his tournament games, where he was just okay. He can certainly score in bunches, but he's probably not going to be among the elite shot creators in the league. 

MORE: 'The ultimate winner' - why Cameron Boozer is SN's Player of the Year

Cameron Boozer NBA Mock Draft projection

Mock Draft projection: Top three pick

Boozer has an interesting divide between different segments of scouts. More analytically-focused ones tend to have him at the No. 1 pick in this class. Eye test scouts have him lower, but his floor is the No. 3 pick. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to Boozer, Dybantsa, and Peterson. There's really not a wrong choice between the three. The safest pick is probably Boozer, and he does have a decent chance to be the best of that group. 

MORE: NBA Mock Draft 2026: Projecting where Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa will go

Cameron Boozer NBA player comparison

Plays like: Young Kevin Love

Love made five All-Star games in his first 10 seasons, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds and winning a championship during that time period. He was a great outlet passer and a versatile scorer who could stretch the floor or get a bucket inside. 

That type of skill set probably doesn't justify the No. 1 pick in this good of a draft, but Boozer has a chance to be even better in that same type of mold. He won't be quite the defensive liability that Love was, and he can be a better passer and scorer. 

The type of production that Boozer has put up at Duke means that there is very little chance of him becoming a bust. He might never win MVP awards either, but he's going to be a multiple-time All-Star throughout his career. 

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