College basketball is back! Well, insofar as exhibitions and scrimmages go, but high major teams are playing each other for the first time. Prospects from a loaded 2026 NBA Draft are playing their inaugural college games. AJ Dybantsa dominated Nebraska in his first game to the tune of 30 points. Cameron Boozer, Duke’s blue-chip freshman forward, dropped 33 points in an exhibition win over UCF.
One of the most decorated and productive youth basketball players in history, Boozer has been a star on the court since he was 15 years old. His first unofficial college game was a typical performance for the 6’10 freshman, though it’s far from normal by average freshman standards. Alongside 33 points on 19 shots (76.2% true shooting), Boozer added 12 rebounds, four assists and three turnovers in a 25-point victory.
Boozer is one of the best offensive prospects to enter the NCAA in decades, loaded with size, skill, touch and the mentality to take over games when he needs to (though he’s comfortable taking a back seat as well). As usual, he bludgeoned smaller and weaker defenders in the paint. He’s a graceful battering ram with the power to displace defenders and the footwork and agility to work around them and find touch shots with both hands.
Boozer is a special paint scoring prospect
He’s most dangerous at this stage as a closeout driver, where Boozer can attack recovering defenses in big space. Tilted defenses place less pressure on his developing handle, allowing him to take two dribbles and burst to the basket off the catch. His pristine footwork and timing are a treat to watch, as Boozer euro steps and hops his way to easy paint touches and rim attempts:
His closeout drives rely on a legitimate outside shooting threat to draw closeouts. Fortunately, Boozer is an excellent shooting prospect who’s improved his range, confidence and shot versatility from deep every year of his career. Boozer made four of his seven 3-point attempts against UCF, always willing to take space when defenders packed the paint against him.
While Boozer flashed some on-ball creation chops at times, he struggled most on offense while creating against set defenses. Without a tight handle, especially against bumps, Boozer resorts to early pickups before entering the paint, which limit his scoring ability and passing vision. He’s a phenomenal passer with high feel for the game, but it’s hard to access his playmaking without a confident handle.
Boozer’s innate passing feel still finds ways to peek through, especially in off-ball situations. For my money, the clip below was his most impressive play of the day. He tracks the ball after the miss and snares one of his six offensive rebounds before rifling a layup pass to Darren Harris. It’s an absurd pass, requiring high levels of processing and spatial awareness to convert:
A lot of people are going to be sharing the threes and his and one dunk but this play by Cameron Boozer is one that stands out to me. Cam is more physically gifted than his peers but he also tries harder. pic.twitter.com/HEsoxWe7ao
— Jordan Ennis (@JEnnisNBADraft) October 22, 2025
How he might struggle on the defensive end
He was a solid impact defender at the high school level, but Boozer enters college with some defensive questions. Without elite length or mobility, Boozer may struggle to fit in as a paint or perimeter defenders at higher levels of hoops. He allowed a few backdoor cuts in this game, lapsing away from the ball while opponents snuck behind him.
I wouldn’t fret over exhibition defense. Though Boozer doesn’t sport an elite defensive projection, his feel, size and sharp positioning alongside good-but-not-great movement skills should be enough to buoy his dominant offense. He’ll have plenty of help from his teammates on a stacked Blue Devils roster on both ends of the floor.
Boozer has a real shot to be the best player in the country this season and, in turn, the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. While some scouts might worry about his aesthetic and traditional athleticism, Boozer is too big, skilled and smart not to eviscerate college opponents. Don’t be surprised if he’s a special enough scorer to break through his ascribed offensive ceiling, though.
