Five games into his college career, Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer is already turning heads and validating the massive hype that followed him to Durham.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound phenom is averaging 21.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists through Duke’s 5-0 start, posting an efficient 51.5% from the field, 34.8% from three, and 76.9% from the free-throw line.
Perhaps most eye-catching: Boozer is getting to the charity stripe 7.8 times per game, a testament to his ability to absorb contact and finish through physicality, a trait that immediately reminds fans of his father, former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer.
Tuesday night’s hard-fought victory over No. 4 Kansas showcased both the growing pains and the immense upside of the 18-year-old big man. Boozer finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 7-of-17 shooting against one of the nation’s toughest frontcourts, battling through inefficiency with relentless energy.
ESPN analyst and longtime Duke observer Jay Bilas came away thoroughly impressed, going so far as to invoke a familiar Blue Devil name from recent memory.
“He reminds you a little bit of Paolo Banchero with his build and his game, and that’s saying something,” Bilas said via USA Today.
The comparison carries serious weight. Banchero, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, spent one electric season at Duke (17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists) before becoming the cornerstone of the Orlando Magic’s resurgence. Bilas believes Boozer possesses a similar blend of size, skill, and basketball IQ.
“He’s got a competitive nature to him,” Bilas said. “He knows how to play and he’s got a maturity that’s beyond his age. You can isolate him and he’s going to draw a double team. He’s got the wherewithal to pass out of it and find an open teammate when he draws a double. He can go through people, he can go around you, he can go over you, he can go through you.”
Through five games, Boozer has already demonstrated that versatile offensive arsenal. He can bully smaller defenders in the post, step out and knock down threes, or attack closeouts off the dribble. His feel for the game stands out as much as his physical tools; the freshman rarely looks rattled, even when shots aren’t falling.
Most mock drafts currently project Boozer as a top-five selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, and performances like the one against Kansas only reinforce that consensus.
Duke returns to action Friday night against Niagara before a quiet stretch leading into a high-profile Thanksgiving clash with No. 21 Arkansas. With each outing, Boozer is making it clearer that the Blue Devils have another potential one-and-done superstar on their hands, and the Paolo Banchero parallels are only going to grow louder.
