Duke's Cameron Boozer becomes fifth player in college basketball history with a season like this

On Friday afternoon, Duke freshman and potential top-3 NBA Draft pick, Cameron Boozer, was named the 2026 AP Player of the Year. Boozer finished the season with 22.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, and 4.1 apg. His scoring and assist totals were both top-15 in the country.

With the award, Boozer now joins some elite company as just the fifth freshman to win the AP Player of the Year. He joins Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012), and Kevin Durant (2007).

He also joins a list of now nine Duke players to win the award in history as well. The eight players to come before Cam Boozer include Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992), and Art Heyman (1963).

Cam Boozer has won the AP Player of the Year. He is the fifth freshman all time to win the award, joining Cooper Flagg, Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant.

This is not the first award that Boozer has claimed this season. He’s claimed the Player of the Year awards from CBS Sports, USBWA, and NABC, was a unanimous AP First-Team All-American, and was the unanimous winner of the ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

More: Did Duke basketball suffer the worst loss in NCAA Tournament history?

Boozer was also named a John R. Wooden Award finalist, along with Darius Acuff Jr., AJ Dybantsa, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Braden Smith. The winner of the award will be announced on Friday, April 10th, at 9 p.m. EST on ESPNU.

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