Some Initial Thoughts on Cameron Boozer

In his 2025 big board writeup, Chuck of the Chucking Darts NBA Podcast wrote the following about Duke superstar Cooper Flagg:

Chuck concluded his thoughts on Flagg with a philosophical gem:

Chuck’s words came to mind during my first formal watch of Cam Boozer in a game against IMG Academy. Check out this play:

Cam screens for his twin Cayden in the initial action, trying to free him up on the cut. Doesn’t work? No problem. Cam resets and screens for the wing coming off the DHO. What Cam does next might be my favorite part of the play; blink and you’ll miss it. After the screen, he sees if there’s an opportunity for the ball handler to pass him the ball, and his hands are ready for the catch. Not on? No problem. Cam screens for Cayden curling up from the corner and initiates a pick and pop. Upon receiving the ball, Cam makes an immediate decision off the catch, attacking the off-balance defender, creating an advantage, and drawing a foul. For good measure, he shows us that he sees his cutting teammate and finds him for what would have been an easy bucket if the play wasn’t whistled dead.

I’m not sure whether this was a pre-determined set play or not. What I can tell you is offenses presenting multiple actions within the shot clock, requiring split-second decisions from players are a rarity below the professional level. Columbus’ offense did that throughout this game, enabled by the brilliance of Cam Boozer.

The fact that Cam’s coaches trust him as the main cog in such an offense speaks volumes. Think back to what Chuck noted about Flagg and his ability to “ping-pong between multiple two-man actions in the same possession.” Players who have their fingerprints on every action in the possession and flow seamlessly between on-ball and off-ball responsibility are paving a new path for premier offensive impact. Watch the master:

When Jokic is on the floor, he is a primary ball handler, screener, wing slasher, shooter, and post initiator — sometimes all in the space of a single possession. This is precisely the style of impact Cam Boozer had on nearly every offensive possession against IMG.

Cam’s game will fit directly into the NBA’s burgeoning off-ball impact style. The Pacers surprised everyone in the playoffs by playing a rotation of players who embraced this mentality. Coach Rick Carlisle also came up with an offensive scheme which necessitated quick decision making and a deep understanding of how actions flow into one another to create advantages. As Thinking Basketball’s Ben Taylor put it: “[The Pacers’] pace is about so much more than traditional runouts in transition. It’s about the speed of their movement, their quick actions, and fast passes for nearly the entirety of the shot clock.” Sound familiar? When you watch Cam play, he doesn’t play fast in the traditional sense, but there’s a decisiveness to his game.

With that in mind, I’ll share one more play before I leave you with some closing thoughts:

It may not look like much, but Cam makes this basket happen. Columbus is well-spaced, and Cam notices the mismatch he can create for his brother Cayden if he drives with a head of steam against the slower big man. Once he fully maps the court, you can see Cam’s sense of urgency increase, and he executes his plan. He swings the ball to Cayden, screens his man, and Cayden does the rest. Two points for Columbus.

I won’t go into detail on the rest of Cam’s game, as I still need to watch a lot more to feel comfortable doing that. However, it’s clear that this guy has all the skill you could want from a player his size and age. Shooting, footwork, coordination, rebounding, shotmaking potential, passing, defensive versatility — all were on display in this game. But, the feel I saw from Cam jumped off the screen. It was like watching a five-year NBA vet. This guy hasn’t played a minute of college basketball, yet he’s a surefire bet to add value to an NBA offense as soon as he gets drafted a year from now.

The mentality Chuck outlined resonated as one to prioritize in the 2026 Draft. Cooper Flagg showed how powerful it can be when combined with the immense talent he possesses. I would slot Boozer below Flagg right now as a prospect, but my early signs indicate he’s cut from the same cloth. It’s easy to see why Boozer is no lower than 3rd in every 2026 mock draft right now.