Duke’s Boozer Running Away With NPOY Award

Duke basketball freshman phenom Cameron Boozer has been the best player thus far through the 2025-26 college basketball season. The 6' 9" forward has been consistently excellent and has been the catalyst for the Blue Devils' success through the first half of the campaign.

Boozer came into college hoops as the No. 3 overall recruit in the nation according to the 247Sports 2025 Composite Rankings, behind Kansas' Darryn Peterson and BYU's AJ Dybantsa. It's fair to say at this point that Boozer hasn't just been the best rookie in the sport this season, but the best player all-around.

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This year, Boozer is third in the nation in scoring at 23.5 points per game to go along with 9.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.8 steals on 57.9% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from three-point range. He leads the Blue Devils in every major statistical category, excluding blocks.

Duke sits with a 7-1 record against ranked opponents this season, and Boozer is the biggest reason why. There have been several occasions where the star rookie has single-handedly carried the Blue Devils offensively down the stretch in marquee matchups.

Jan 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts during a break in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

In the Blue Devils' eight games against ranked foes, Boozer is averaging 23.4 points and 9.3 rebounds. He went for 35 points in a win over Arkansas, 29 points in a win over Florida, and 27 points in a win at Louisville (14-6, 4-4 ACC).

At this point in the season, it's nearly impossible to even mention a debate for any player to take home the National Player of the Year award other than Boozer. The Miami native has tallied 12 games of 20 or more points scored, four games of 30 or more points scored, 10 double-doubles, and hasn't shot under 50% from the floor in a single conference game.

What the Computers Say

Duke also had the National Player of the Year winner on its roster last season in Cooper Flagg, and the computer numbers between the two are pretty similar.

According to KenPom's National Player of the Year algorithm, Boozer is way ahead of the pack with a rating of 2.712. Flagg ended his lone season with the Blue Devils with a rating of 2.734.

Outstanding season continues for Duke Blue Devils freshman forward Cameron Boozer #NBADraft

Has been a productive machine this year and continues to have a historically strong season.

▪️ 93rd Percentile in Post-Up
▪️ 86th Percentile in Isolation
▪️ 96th Percentile in Spot-Up… pic.twitter.com/hqQBbvMy4a
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) January 28, 2026

However, when comparing who was competing with Boozer and Flagg for the award, it shows there's no competition this time around.

It was a two-man race for much of the 2024-25 campaign between Flagg and Auburn forward Johni Broome. While Flagg's KenPom NPOY rating was 2.734, Broome's was 2.317, making it a fairly close battle.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball against the Houston Cougars during the second half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With Boozer, it's entirely different. The next man up, according to KenPom, is Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson with a rating of 1.820, nearly a full point differential.

If Boozer remains consistent, no one is touching him for National Player of the Year honors.

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