Remember the pre-draft narrative on Cameron Boozer from the skeptics?
He wasn't athletic enough to be a star in the NBA. He was a product of bully ball. He had no offensive bag. He would get exposed on defense.
Yada yada yada.
Duke fans and Boozer believers are going to be bringing the receipts all season long. Two games into the preseason, Boozer already looks like a star. It was obvious to anyone who watched him at Duke that he would translate to the NBA. Quickly.
He was always going to transition faster than the other rookies in his class. That's bearing fruit already.
After an impressive preseason debut earlier this week, Boozer kicked it up a notch on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic. In 22 minutes, Boozer produced 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in the Memphis Grizzlies' four-point loss.
Cameron Boozer: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 4/7 FG, 2/3 3FG, 6/7 FT, 79 TS% vs Magic
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 8, 2026
Another great showing for the Grizzlies rookie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EsvJft1BXJ
Boozer showed the full offense bag: the shooting (2-of-3 from three), the footwork, the ability to attack the rim off the bounce from the perimeter, the court vision. He's got it all.
His basketball IQ is insanely high. He knows how to punish any matchups you throw at him. Put a guy like Nikola Vucevic on him, and he can beat him off the dribble to get to the rim. Put a guy like Paolo Banchero on him, and he can barrel into his chest and use his strength to get to the rim. Give him space on the perimeter to stop the dribble-drive? He's going to knock down a three. Pick your poison.
Cameron Boozer looks like a seasoned veteran after just two NBA preseason games
It's going to be a full season of Boozer proving all of his doubters wrong. It won't be long before a lot of the skeptics start hopping on the bandwagon. He's going to force the issue.
He doesn't look anything like a rookie. There hasn't been a learning curve for Boozer so far. He's got the answers to the test.
Memphis has now completed half of its preseason schedule. The next matchup on Friday night is sure to bring a lot of attention.
The Grizzlies head to Chicago to face the Bulls, putting Boozer head-to-head with North Carolina rookie Caleb Wilson. They had a battle back in the Summer League, and they're both itching to get after one another again. That game will tip off at 8pm ET on NBA TV.
After that, the Grizzlies have one more preseason game on 10/16 against the Charlotte Hornets. Boozer will make his NBA debut on 10/21 at home against the Utah Jazz, pitting him against fellow rookie and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson.
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