Duke's Cameron Boozer declares for 2026 NBA Draft after one season

After one season at Duke, Cameron Boozer has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. He made the announcement on his Instagram account on Friday.

“Thank you for everything @dukeuniversity,” Boozer wrote on the post. “Duke Blue forever 💙💙”

Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 38 games for the Blue Devils this past season. He also shot 39% on 138 3-point attempts. That performance earned him the men’s Naismith Player of the Year award, in addition to consensus first-team All-American honors.

The 6-foot-9 forward is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor projected him to be selected third in his mock draft (going to the Sacramento Kings) before the NBA Draft Lottery determines the order of the first 15 picks.

“He’s a do-it-all offensive talent who can post up, run pick-and-rolls, set screens, spot up and crash the boards,” O’Connor wrote in his scouting report. “He doesn’t need to rely on bully ball to make an impact as a scorer or passer.”

“He plays hard and has improved at every weakness in his game so far,” O’Connor added.

If Boozer were to be the No. 1 overall selection, he would join the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, as alumni from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida as top prospects in their respective sports.

As a freshman, Boozer helped lead Duke to a 35-3 record (17-1 in conference), winning the ACC regular-season and tournament titles. The Blue Devils earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the regional final before suffering to UConn.