Babe, wake up: more hype for Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje just dropped!
Boumtje Boumtje was the latest addition to Jon Scheyer's stellar incoming freshman class for Duke, but he's quickly gone from a relative unknown to one of the most anticipated prospects coming into college basketball next season.
Boumtje Boumtje just turned 17 years old and will have to wait until the 2028 NBA Draft to make the league leap. Scheyer and the Blue Devils should have him for two seasons, and while his best basketball is ahead of him, there's little doubt at this point that he's going to make an immediate - and sizeable - impact for Duke in 2026-27.
The Barcelona product has gone from dominant performances at the Adidas Next Generation EuroLeague to a similarly impressive showing at the Adidas EuroCamp, to now being a standout at the USA Basketball U17 Trials in Colorado Springs.
Per 247's Eric Bossi, Boumtje Boumtje was the best prospect on the floor.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje called the 'best prospect and player' at USAB U17 Trials
"The Duke-bound big man was the best player and prospect we saw. We still want to see him be more physical and challenge more on the defensive end, but he's going to Duke a year early in large part to work on those things and his skill, inside/out ability and size combination are still tough for anybody currently in high school or headed to college next season to match," Bossi wrote.
That's impressive praise considering the level of talent competing in Colorado Springs this week for the right to make the team and compete later this month in Turkey at the FIBA World Cup.
Boumtje Boumtje is competing against other 5-star recruits such as CJ Rosser, AJ Williams, Jordan Page, Colton Hiller, Beckham Black, and Erick Dampier Jr., among numerous others. The talent at the Trials is otherworldly, and it shows how good Boumtje Boumtje already is - and how good he stands to be - that he's still considered the best player and prospect there right now by a reputable basketball scout.
Boumtje Boumtje was initially thought to be more of a project for Duke when he committed, with many expecting him to play a small role as a freshman before stepping into a starting spot as a sophomore. But his recent performances make it clear that he has no plans to sit on the bench when he gets to Durham.
Boumtje Boumtje is going to compete for immediate playing time. He'll push fellow 5-star Cameron Williams for the starting PF spot next to Patrick Ngongba in the frontcourt next season. He's good enough right now to be one of the better bigs in college basketball next year, and he and Williams will provide Scheyer some real flexibility in the frontcourt with their ability to play multiple positions.
The hype for Duke's freshman class continues to grow, and Boumtje Boumtje's recent ascent has everything to do with it.
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