Cameron Boozer Already Delivering on His Promise to Revive an ‘Overlooked’ Duke Basketball Team
DURHAM, N.C. – For a player barely out of high school, Cameron Boozer doesn’t talk like a freshman and he certainly doesn’t carry himself like one either.
Just last month, the son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer turned heads across the college basketball world when he boldly declared that his Blue Devils were being “overlooked” and that the program would shock people this season.
Now, before even playing a real game, Boozer is already backing it up.
At Duke’s final open summer practice last week, the 6-foot-9 forward put on the kind of show that made recruiting analysts label him a generational talent. He glided to the rim with ease, knocked down midrange jumpers with veteran poise, and even splashed in a few 3-pointers all while carrying himself with a quiet, confident edge.
“I think we have a special group,” Boozer told ESPN at the ESPY Awards, where he accepted the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. “I think we’re very overlooked right now, but once the season starts, that’ll change for sure. I think just playing together, playing hard, defending, competing we’re going to be in a spot to get [to the Final Four] just like they did last year.”
Living Up to a Name and a Legacy
For Boozer, this isn’t just about being a highly ranked recruit. It’s about carrying the weight of expectation that comes with his last name. His father, Carlos, was a two-time NBA All-Star and an NCAA champion at Duke in 2001, remembered for his physicality, passion, and winning mentality.
Cameron, however, has his own blueprint.
If Cooper Flagg’s freshman dominance last season set the bar for the “next big thing” in college basketball, Boozer is intent on raising it. His blend of size, skill, and basketball IQ already looks NBA-ready, but his fire comes from somewhere deeper from the chip on his shoulder that comes with being underestimated.
“We have a huge chip because we know that we have the talent and the team to be the best team in the country,” Boozer said. “I genuinely feel like we will be the best team in the country. People are saying we’re not the team we were last year… I think everyone will see the truth when the season starts.”
An Edge the Blue Devils Needed
Duke enters the season with plenty of storylines a young roster, new faces, and the ever-present pressure that comes with wearing the blue and white in Cameron Indoor Stadium. But Boozer’s arrival might be the emotional spark the program needs.
He isn’t just bringing highlight-reel plays; he’s bringing a mindset. The “prove them wrong” mentality that fueled Duke’s most successful eras seems to be back.
And make no mistake Boozer’s not alone. Between a highly talented recruiting class, returning veterans, and a hunger to push past last season’s shortcomings, this is a team that believes it has the tools to cut down the nets in April.
Counting Down to November
Boozer and the rest of the Blue Devils will soon return to campus, and official practices aren’t far behind. The countdown to the November tip-off is already underway, and while the outside world may still be questioning Duke’s ceiling, inside the locker room, there’s no such doubt.
As Boozer put it, “We’re not too worried about what people say. We’ll show them.”
If his first taste of Duke basketball is any indication, the ACC and maybe the entire country should brace itself.
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