Cameron Boozer isn't always going to put up eye-popping statistics. If you're box score watching, you might not get a true sense of the mastery the former Duke star is showing already as just an 18-year-old playing in the NBA's Summer League.
But his tremendous feel for the game is already on full display for the Memphis Grizzlies, and that's despite playing on a team that isn't giving him the ball as much as it should.
On Friday night, the basketball world's attention was focused on Boozer's Las Vegas Summer League debut against former UNC star Caleb Wilson. And while Wilson may have grabbed the headlines with an impressive 35 points and seven made three-pointers - which equaled his total during his lone season in Chapel Hill - it was Boozer's Grizzlies who came out on top. Because of course they did.
That's what he does. He wins.
And while his performance wasn't as loud, you look down at the box score and see that he put up 23-6-4 on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the floor while playing six fewer minutes than his Tar Heel counterpart.
He also gave Wilson his "Welcome to the NBA" moment by ripping him in the backcourt for an easy dunk.
The perfect summary of Boozer's performance came from Cedric Coward, who is getting to be his teammate a year later than Duke fans would have preferred.
"I can't believe he's 18. I'm glad he's on my team," Coward said after the game.
Cameron Boozer's Grizzlies got the better of Caleb Wilson's Bulls in Summer League
Coward's quote sums up the biggest reason for excitement about Boozer for Grizzlies fans. He's still just 18. He's six months younger than AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, and a full year younger than Wilson. Despite that, when he gets the chance to play any of them head-to-head, it's usually Boozer who comes out on top.
That had to feel good on Friday night, considering Wilson got the better of him in their lone college matchup. Boozer had a better statistical game, but Wilson's Tar Heels stunned the Blue Devils in Chapel Hill.
The script flipped in Las Vegas. Wilson had the counting stats, but Boozer did what he needed to do to lead Memphis to the win.
It's obvious, though, that both are future NBA stars. Dybantsa and Peterson have both impressed, too. The Summer League has to come with a caveat, but it's obvious early that this class is living up to the considerable hype.
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