Cameron Boozer is not short on confidence as he gets set to begin his NBA journey. Less than a week after being selected with the third overall pick in the draft, Boozer is already ready to speak in bold terms about his Memphis Grizzlies.
Boozer is bringing a winning attitude to Memphis with him. He has no interest in slow-playing the rebuild. In fact, he believes the Grizzlies are going to be immediately better than people want to believe.
"We are a team who is going to really surprise people this year," Boozer said on The Chris Vernon Show. "We are going to be shockingly good to people. I think people don't really understand that, just because obviously it was kind of a rebuild, but you look at the players we have, the roster who we are bringing in this year, and I think we are going to have something pretty special."
Cameron Boozer believes the Grizzlies are going to 'shock' people next season
Boozer's reason for confidence is obvious. He's won big at every single level of basketball he's ever played. The NBA is a different animal, no doubt, but Boozer expects his team to be competitive from the outset of his career simply because he's on it.
And there's certainly a pathway to some instant success.
Pairing Boozer with Zach Edey, the former two-time National Player of the Year at Purdue, gives the Grizzlies a frontcourt that will immediately be problematic for teams. Rising second-year pro Cedric Coward could take another leap and become one of the better two-way wings in the Western Conference.
Ty Jerome took a major leap last season and averaged nearly 20 points per game. Young guard Walter Clayton Jr. was an intriguing addition in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade with the Utah Jazz. Memphis could get really interesting, really quickly next season.
It might come down to whether they can find a trade partner for embattled guard Ja Morant, who has a lot less trade value than he did. There appears to be rising optimism that Memphis will get a deal done for Morant as soon as this week, which would allow them to fully close the chapter on that era while opening a new one featuring Boozer and their intriguing collection of quality young talent.
The Grizzlies won't immediately be contenders in the West next season just because of Boozer's addition, but that's coming down the road. Just don't be surprised if Memphis makes a legitimate push into the playoffs right away next season.
You can't say Boozer didn't warn you.
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