Blue Devil Country

Cameron Boozer Ties Cooper Flagg on One Duke Basketball List

The Duke basketball rookie sensation is posting some better metrics than each of the past five Naismith Award winners.
Matt Giles|
Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) directs a play as Louisville Cardinals guard J'vonne Hadley (1) guards during a conference ACC game. January 6, 2026.
Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) directs a play as Louisville Cardinals guard J'vonne Hadley (1) guards during a conference ACC game. January 6, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Duke Blue Devils

Duke basketball isn't quite halfway through its 2025-26 regular season slate. And freshman power forward Cameron Boozer has already notched half as many 25-point games (eight) as Zion Williamson did in 2018-19 in seting the Blue Devil rookie record with his 16 such outings.

ALSO READ: Father of Top-Shelf Prep Now Talking to Blue Devil Staff

Plus, after tallying 27 points in Duke's 84-73 comeback road win over the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals in the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday night, the 18-year-old Boozer is already tied with 2017-18 one-and-done Marvin Bagley III and 2024-25 standout Cooper Flagg, last season's Naismith Award recipient, on that Blue Devil list. He trails only Williamson and the program's other 2018-19 centerpiece talent in RJ Barrett (14).

A Clear Frontrunner for National Player of the Year

Not only is Cameron Boozer well on his way to finishing his projected one-and-done campaign with historic Duke basketball scoring numbers for a newcomer in Durham, but as shown in the following graphic on social media, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound native of Miami, Fla., son of 2001 Blue Devil national champion and two-time NBA All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer, also stacks up favorably against this decade's best players in college hoops:

Boozer's current 134.7 offensive rating checks in at least five points higher than each of the past five Naismith Award winners' final marks in that column: Flagg (123.0) in 2024-25, Purdue's Zach Edey (128.8) in 2023-24, Edey (125.9) in 2022-23, Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe (124.2) in 2021-22, and Iowa's Luka Garza (124.0) in 2020-21.

Through 15 college appearances as a full-time starter under fourth-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer, Boozer is averaging 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. He's shooting 58.0 percent from the field, 37.3 percent beyond the arc, and 77.0 percent at the foul line.

Scheyer, Boozer, and the high-powered Blue Devils (14-1, 3-0 ACC), who remain undefeated in ACC play despise not yet holding a single halftime lead against conference opponents, next square off against the No. 24 SMU Tigers (12-3, 1-1 ACC). Duke hosts SMU in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 2 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN).

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE, and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE.

Published
Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

Share on XFollow MattGilesBD