Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje arrived on Duke's campus on Tuesday after a dominant summer that saw him earn a EuroLeague title, MVP of the ANGE, and another MVP and a gold medal during the FIBA U17 World Cup.
The expectations for the 5-star incoming freshman have skyrocketed since he committed to Duke a little over two months ago. He's gone from an intriguing project who was expected to need time to develop to arguably the most anticipated prospect in college basketball.
Boumtje Boumtje won't be draft-eligible until 2028. He's on a two-year path in Durham, but that's not stopping some draft experts from speaking in the boldest possible terms about him.
SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell recently wrote an article where he called Boumtje Boumtje the "best prospect in the world outside of the NBA.
Draft expert believes Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is the best NBA prospect in the world
O'Donnell is speaking in bold terms, considering the 2028 draft class is deep and talented, and projected 2027 No. 1 pick Tyran Stokes is carrying significant hype with him into his freshman season at Kansas.
But it's hard to watch Boumtje Boumtje play and not be intrigued by his overall skill set. His shooting ability at 7 feet tall has been the most eye-opening. He shot over 53% at the FIBA U17 World Cup, which followed up shooting 47% from three at the ANGE.
Boumtje Boumtje also showed his ability with his back-to-the-basket, ball-handling, and even defensive versatility during the World Cup.
O'Donnell made a lofty comparison to a former No. 1 pick and recent NBA champion in his article.
"In some ways, Boumtje Boumtje reminds me of Karl-Anthony Towns, another beefy big man with an elite shooting stroke who can also clean the glass. I wouldn’t rule out that he can one day be even better," O'Donnell said.
A Karl-Anthony Towns developmental track would be a massive boom for Duke. His meteoric rise has been a sight to behold. Just two months ago, Boumtje Boumtje was a relatively unknown prospect in a broader sense. That changed after a dominant summer, but his discovery is another testament to Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils' scouting department, which has frequently been head-and-shoulders better than anyone else in college basketball.
As O'Donnell notes, Duke was all-in on Cedric Coward a year ago in the Transfer Portal despite Coward flying under the radar into the NBA Draft process. Coward obviously blew up and never made it to Durham, but they recognized the talent before many others did.
Had college programs had the foresight to see what was coming with Boumtje Boumtje this summer, then his recruitment would have been a lot more cutthroat. Instead, Scheyer landed the potential future No. 1 pick with little irritation.
For the third straight year, Duke has a prospect being touted as a potential No. 1 pick. And, according to O'Donnell, who has scouted NBA prospects for SB Nation for the better part of a decade, his recent performance at the World Cup was as impressive as any he's seen.
"Boumtje Boumtje’s MVP run was every bit as impressive as any American player I’ve seen put on the jersey at the junior level. This is what future stars look like. Boumtje Boumtje might have floated under the radar for a while, but the whole world is about to know his name and his game."
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