When Cameron Boozer committed to Duke, the hype was obvious — the name, the pedigree, the highlight tapes. But if we’re being honest, even that didn’t prepare the staff for what he’s already doing behind closed doors. Because this summer, Boozer hasn’t just looked like a future star — he’s playing like someone ready to force a starting role right now.
According to multiple team sources, Boozer’s dominance in summer scrimmages has become a daily topic inside the locker room. He’s not easing his way in — he’s setting the tone. Whether it’s bullying vets on the block, handling switches on the perimeter, or flashing a jumper that looks more polished than expected, Boozer is ahead of schedule. And that’s creating problems — the good kind — for Jon Scheyer and his staff.
“He’s too skilled to bring along slowly,” one coach reportedly said. “The plan was to ease him in. That plan’s out the window.”
What’s made Boozer’s emergence even more impressive is who he’s doing it against. Guys like Maliq Brown and Patrick Ngongba II aren’t easy matchups — they’re physical, experienced, and defensively sound. Yet Boozer’s footwork, poise, and ability to read defenses have allowed him to score efficiently even in crowded paint touches. And with Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster commanding defensive attention on the perimeter, Boozer’s been eating up space on the short roll and punishing switches.
There’s also growing buzz about his chemistry with his brother, Cayden Boozer, who’s flashing poise beyond his years as a freshman point guard. That connection — built over a lifetime — is creating easy buckets and making Duke’s second unit dangerously productive in scrimmages. “It’s instant rhythm,” said one source. “They just know where the other’s going to be.”
Of course, Duke still has depth — Darren Harris is shooting the cover off the ball, and Nikolas Khamenia continues to show polish. But with each practice, Cameron Boozer is making it harder for the coaching staff to justify keeping him in a reserve role. He’s not just producing — he’s demanding a system shift.
So while all eyes were on Duke’s returners and the flashy wings like Dame Sarr, it might be Cameron Boozer — the technically gifted, physically dominant freshman — who just changed the Blue Devils’ blueprint.
And if this summer breakout holds?
Nobody’s safe. Not on this roster. Not in the ACC.
