NBA great shuts up Cam Boozer hater who doesn't believe in the Duke basketball superstar

The three-man debate to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is heating up, and there have been some mixed opinions on Duke basketball freshman sensation Cameron Boozer. The race to be the top pick features Boozer, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, and BYU's AJ Dybantsa. But there was rarely much serious discussion before the season that Boozer could leapfrog Peterson or Dybantsa to be the top overall selection. However, through the first six weeks of the season, Boozer has established himself as likely the best player in the nation and has cemented himself as the heavy favorite to be the National Player of the Year, forcing himself into the discussion to be the top pick next June.

With Boozer's ascension into the sport's top player, much more serious debate has sparked as to the 6'9" forward's game at the next level. Boozer is the nation's leading scorer at 23.3 points per game to go along with 10.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.6 steals a game on 56.3% shooting from the field and 34.8% shooting from three on 4.2 attempts a night. However, his lack of elite athleticism has caused some NBA executives and scouts to question his ability to be a true No. 1 scoring option on a championship team at the NBA level.

DeMarcus Cousins silences anonymous NBA scout who doubts Cam Boozer's NBA potential

Some NBA scouts love Boozer's game, and some have had their doubts. One anonymous NBA scout recently said that Boozer can't be the No. 1 option on a championship team, and NBA great DeMarcus Cousins cited his confusion on Run It Back.

"He's bigger than everybody. So was Paolo Banchero and Zion Williamson, but none of them got this title. ... Has this scout won a championship?" Cousins said.

Boozer is Duke's best scorer, rebounder, and passer. He's single-handedly led the Blue Devils offensively in several high-major games already, and has consistently improved his outside shot and ability to handle the ball in transition, despite some lack of high-level athleticism. Early on, he struggled against size in the paint, but he has drastically improved in that aspect.

The elite talent has already proven he can dominate against stellar competition, and in several games already, he's been the lone bright spot for the Blue Devils offensively, literally keeping the team in big games on his own.

Boozer went for 18 points and 15 rebounds against No. 9 Michigan State, 29 points against No. 23 Florida, 35 points against No. 15 Arkansas, and 18 points along with 11 rebounds against No. 17 Kansas. Duke won all of those games, and Boozer was the reason why in every single one.

Additionally, he's making history that no college or NBA player has done in decades to begin his career.

Boozer is the only Division I or NBA player in the last 30 seasons to have an eight-game span with 175+ points, 75+ rebounds, 25+ assists, and 10 or fewer turnovers while going undefeated. The star rookie accomplished that feat in the first eight games of his collegiate career.

Both Peterson and Dybantsa are likely more appealing prospects from an NBA perspective with their diverse and elite shot-making ability from anywhere on the floor, but Boozer's dominance can't be ignored, and he deserves to be heavily in the mix to be the top pick in 2026.