Memphis Grizzlies Draft Target Helps Duke Avoid March Madness Upset

March Madness opened Thursday with its usual excitement, starting with an immediate late game shootout and upsets galore between 9-seed TCU's 2pt victory over 8-seed Ohio State, an even bigger upset and 1pt barnburner for 12-seed High Point over 5-seed Wisconsin, and a legit 16-seed red alert near-upset for Siena over the 1-seed tournament favorite Duke Blue Devils.

While Cameron Boozer is the most versatile scoring creator offensive engine in the 2026 NBA Draft in this analyst's opinion, even I have to admit he had some tough moments in this one; a few head-scratcher turnovers, missed deep jumpers that may have been rushed, a few rushed choices when normally he's the coolest minded player on the floor as a floor-stretching shooter who makes sound team-first decisions.

Sometimes players have off nights, especially young players, and when your off night is as overall impactful as Boozer's 22 PTS on 4/11 FG with 13/14 FT, 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists despite the 5 Turnovers, and 1 Block, things could be worse.

Let's chalk it up to March Madness Opening Day Jitters mixed with looking past your 16-seed opponent fresh off an ACC championship.

It was Cam Boozer's twin, Cayden, however, who stole the show, put the team on his back, and willed the comeback win for this Duke team after trailing at halftime.

CAYDEN BOOZER HITS A GAME-WINNER TO DEFEAT BREWSTER ACADEMY 🚨🤯 #ChipotleNationals pic.twitter.com/vTqmn1xy28
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) April 4, 2025

Memphis Grizzlies Could Target Cayden Boozer Late in First Round

Cayden Boozer floater — Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) shoots the ball Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Siena Saints at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Cam Boozer has every accolade achievable at this point, his twin brother Cayden isn't far behind; in fact, Cayden shares every team achievement that Cam has to this point as well:

4 Florida State Titles
3 Nike EYBL Peach Jam Championships
2 Team USA Gold Medals
1 High School National Championship
+1 ACC Regular Season & Tournament Title

The 6'2" Boozer Guard is a winner in his own right, a clutch shooter as seen in the Chipotle Nationals game-winner above, a tough point guard who brings sound two-way feel to the game as a bulky strong versatile defensive guard who can operate on or off the ball on offense.

Ideally, he lands a 3&D connector role at the next level where he's asked to defend, make team-first decisions with and without the ball, hit open jumpers, drive and attach the rack or kick out for threes.

Top-seeded Duke hangs on to hold off Siena, 71-65

Cam Boozer: 22 PTS, 13 REB
Cayden Boozer: 19 PTS, 9-16 FG pic.twitter.com/pfn7i8tI29
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 19, 2026

Taking the start for a hobbled Duke team in the first round of March Madness against the Siena Saints, Cayden Boozer dropped 19 PTS on 8/12 2P with 5 AST / 0 TO and 2 STL for the Blue Devils.

With his team facing elimination in the first round despite having championship expectations, Cayden Boozer stepped up in the bright lights, racking up two assists and scoring three layups, a floater, and an assisted triple for 11 PTS in the second half to helps his team come back and secure the victory.

This Boozer Twin would fit into the Memphis Heart & Hustle mindset as a two-way team-first 3&D quick decision maker to add to the backcourt who would help organize both sides of the floor.

Scouting Cayden & Cam Boozer's Columbus team visit Cooper Flagg's Montverde team in 2023 Sunshine Classic

Here's an excerpt from my 2023 Swish Theory Scouting Report on Cayden Boozer in the Sunshine Classic tournament at Montverde against the likes of Cooper Flagg and Darius Acuff:

Cayden Boozer, brother of Cameron, ran point to a tee, fulfilling classic playmaker duties with touch passes, highlight play feel, and good feel decisiveness on when to score and when to create for others.
Ryan Kaminski

Data Viz by Ryan Kaminski | Data Viz by Ryan Kaminski

#2 Cayden Boozer, 6’5″ Point Guard, Columbus

vs. Montverde 10 PTS 4 AST / 3 TO 1 STL 3/7 FG & 3/4 FT (22 MIN)

Big point guard, impressive playmaking ability, consistently looks to set up teammates.

Two-way feel with plus size and length for your position are bankable traits at ever level.

Great vision, nice body control, good decision-maker with crafty passing touch.

Cayden Boozer shot the lights out from deep with a 92 3PEfficiency rating on the night, flashing natural point guard skills even with a relatively low 62 Floor General Skills rating, and impressing as a
defender with good size for his position helping force turnovers and generate a 70 DSI rate.

Watch him set up a pick-and-pop to big bro with the hook pass, hit the short roller with a smooth bounce pass, and then…

WAIT

WAS THAT A BOOZER TO J RICH JR. NBA STREET GAME-BREAKING DOUBLE ALLEY-OOP?!?

The Cayden Boozer - Jase Richardson Double Alley-Oop?? pic.twitter.com/iEuX1bkbUM
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) March 19, 2026

Cayden may wait another year before entering the draft to increase his stock, but if he declares this summer, he could quickly translate to the NBA level as a winning player who makes the hustle plays and does the little things to set up his team from the backcourt, specializing in connective safe playmaking, positive malleable defense, and converting efficient looks at the rim and from deep.