Cameron Boozer

[JMAC3]

We are 24 pages in, is there anyone pushing a negative Boozer agenda at this point?

Feels like the pro-boozer posters are inventing that people have major doubts.

[CptCrunch]

Boozer is so sleepy that we don't even post about his game against a top 40 type of team NC State.

8-10 for 26 points. Consistency has to be a skill.

[FrodoBaggins]

I can see the Cameron Boozer comparisons on nights when Paolo is hitting his outside shot and displaying high-quality shot selection and decision-making on passing reads. Absolutely horrific competition, though. The strong perimeter shooting and high IQ are going to give Boozer the space and separation he needs to get a step on his drives to make up for his slower first step. And once he gets that? His strength, balance, and long strides will do the rest.

He's not going to have nearly as much trouble as Paolo generally does trying to get past guys off the dribble. Cameron's big wing qualities are incredibly exciting and the most slept on aspect of his game. He's elite in every Synergy play type, including PnR ball handling and isolation.

- 32 minutes played
- 37 points (15-21 FG, 14-19 2PT, 1-2 3PT, 6-7 FT), 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers

Watch on YouTube

[FrodoBaggins]

Rare fallaway mid-range shot out of post isolation:



He's got a good mid-range game; showed it in high school plenty. No real point in Cameron taking those shots for Duke when he can get to the rim almost whenever he wants. Duke doesn't really like those shots, it seems. I'm sure he'll use it as an effective counter in the pros.

[FrodoBaggins]

Watch on YouTube

[Chuck Everett]

All this kid has done for the last 5 years is dominate and win. Guys who just know how to play basketball are beginning to define this era. Just sticking to what they do well can yield exemplary results. Who the heck had Knueppel down as the best point per possession scorer off the pick and roll in the league as a rookie?

[threethehardway]

People that care about college basketball and the NBA Draft (which I don't, college basketball is one of the ugliest forms of basketball. Don't get me started on the 40 second shot clock, which they now changed to 30
...) should have Boozer number 1 and shouldn't care what anyone thinks.

I'll still stand by he should've been 7 foot, his game is hideous, there's nothing interesting watching a college player play like the best college player, but there's a market for the elite YMCA style player.

You know, that 30 something year old 6'4 guy that does funky stuff in the post no one can stop, shoots a rainbow jumpshot and throws pinpoint passes with his off hand.

Boozer is smart and strong enough to figure out how to be a great NBA player in the current lawless competitive environment that favors offensive players.

I would pick Boozer number one despite not caring for his game because if he isn't a a mega superstar, nobody can blame me for it.

He's statistically, probably the greatest NCAA player ever, the greatest freshmen ever.

[Upperclass]

All this kid has done for the last 5 years is dominate and win. Guys who just know how to play basketball are beginning to define this era. Just sticking to what they do well can yield exemplary results. Who the heck had Knueppel down as the best point per possession scorer off the pick and roll in the league as a rookie?

Me actually.. I spent all offseason telling this forum how Kon would play and perform in the league

[Upperclass]

Boozer Will be an impactful.. maybe all time stats player in the league.. He won’t be able to defend at all but it may not matter with the type of all around offensive game he’s able to play. He’s a different player than Paolo who can’t control the game in the same way Boozer can.

[Duke4life831]

As one of the more vocal “critics” of Boozer when it comes to his fit in the NBA.

I’m officially in the F it, I’d take him #1. I still think there isn’t much middle ground between him being a star vs an offensive big off the bench.

But ya I’m at the point where I’m just yielding to everyone I’ve gone back and forth with about him and eat my crow. I still think all the issues are there, but I’m just at the point where I’m not betting against him figuring it out.

[The Moose]

He has BITW potential, obvious #1 pick

[JMAC3]

I think the conversation needs to change around Boozer. Obviously, he is productive and I think most people have him top 5 if not top 2-3. The new conversation to me is is he worth #1 pick because where does his upside turn him into a top 5-10 player in the league?

Dybantsa feels like he could become the wing like Tatum who is on the ball a ton and controlling actions and hunting mismatches on drives/isos.
Peterson if he works out fills the great shooter who can do more ala a Donovan Mitchell, Booker type of player.

What is the equivalent player that Boozer would play like that allows him to impact the game the same way? Because I think most of us can agree he isn't going to be a 2 way player at 6-10 where he can be like a Draymond, JJJ, Chet etc... or even a Bam type of player.

Even guys like Scottie Barnes, Gordon, OG aren't elite impact guys if they weren't such good defenders.

[JMAC3]

To me I think Boozer profiles most similarly to guys like Karl Anthony Towns, Lauri Markkanen, Julius Randle, Paolo Banchero... like he can be a really good offensive player but Idk if he can control the ball all the time nor do you probably want that. He is probably a guy that I think is best as 2nd optionand more of a play finisher than the guy you center everything around.

That can still be a great player and worth a top 3 pick, but to me I lack seeing him as GITW type of talent without elite athleticism, size and defense. The closest thing to him being that guy would have to be Jokic and idk if we are going to see another Jokic anytime soon.

[King Ken]

He makes the routine look boring

[One_and_Done]

We are 24 pages in, is there anyone pushing a negative Boozer agenda at this point?

Feels like the pro-boozer posters are inventing that people have major doubts.

I'd be pretty scared to draft him top 5. He's so groundbound that you have to worry about his upside. I haven't spent much time scouting guys, but at a glance Caleb looks like a more projectable guy.

[One_and_Done]

All this kid has done for the last 5 years is dominate and win. Guys who just know how to play basketball are beginning to define this era. Just sticking to what they do well can yield exemplary results. Who the heck had Knueppel down as the best point per possession scorer off the pick and roll in the league as a rookie?

Me actually.. I spent all offseason telling this forum how Kon would play and perform in the league

Kon's role, if he was to succeed, was always clear. Plenty of people liked Kon. I think Nate Duncan might have had him top 3, and described him as an all-star talent.

What's Boozer's role? Who is the archetype for him to be a big star? The guy can play, but not sure his skillset is a good fit for today's NBA, which is not just 'a skill game', you also need a clear role/appropriate tools. When you look at the top guys, aside from Jokic and Luka, they're usually all extremely athletic (Wemby, Giannis, Ant, SGA, etc).

[FrodoBaggins]

Cameron's archetype is a hybrid of the Hub Big and Big Wing. He'll play more like one or the other depending on the circumstances: who he's playing with, his coach and scheme/lineups/rotation, and the opposition he's facing.

Think PF Jokic/better shooting & scoring Sengun/Sabonis mixed with Old Man LeBron/higher IQ, better shooting & passing Paolo/Randle—something along the lines of that.

[JMAC3]

Cameron's archetype is a hybrid of the Hub Big and Big Wing. He'll play more like one or the other depending on the circumstances: who he's playing with, his coach and scheme/lineups/rotation, and the opposition he's facing.

Think PF Jokic/better shooting & scoring Sengun/Sabonis mixed with Old Man LeBron/higher IQ, better shooting & passing Paolo/Randle—something along the lines of that.

Sengun, Sabonis, Paolo, Randle are all really good players in general, but I think most would struggle to get there that they are top 10 or even top 20 players in the league. I also think Paolo is much more on the ball than Boozer when it comes to playing out front of the defense and getting downhill in a modern switch/screen/iso game. Where as Boozer for the most part is trying to dissect teams with his back to the basket and punishing double teams.

So that is why I say maybe some Jokic- but Jokic is a 1 of 1 type of player. His closest comp is Sengun who to me is a good outcome but I also can't live in the world of future MVP if that is his closest comp.

[JMAC3]

And I still have Boozer 2nd in this class, because I struggle to see top tier upside from a lot of these guys. I think the class is really strong, but I think most of the prospects although polished are still missing things from game to be truly dominant.

Dybantsa- most likely star imo

Boozer- All-star but lacks true superstar traits. As mentioned hard for him to be a guy that completely takes over games.
Wagler- elite shooting and iq but probably lacks athleticism to be all star. Would need to turn into Steph type of shooter.
Wilson- great play finisher, but is slightly worse version of AD on both ends. Would need to massively improve on the ball and shooting 3s.
Peterson- elite off ball scorer, but lacks physical advantage or handle/downhill game.

Ament- great size and skill, but lacks strength and consistent shooting
Acuff- size is biggest concern, defense and not elite elite athlete
Flemings- skinny frame, not a great shooter, not great at drawing contact

[One_and_Done]

Cameron's archetype is a hybrid of the Hub Big and Big Wing. He'll play more like one or the other depending on the circumstances: who he's playing with, his coach and scheme/lineups/rotation, and the opposition he's facing.

Think PF Jokic/better shooting & scoring Sengun/Sabonis mixed with Old Man LeBron/higher IQ, better shooting & passing Paolo/Randle—something along the lines of that.

When people ask for the archetype of a player, and the response is 'a guy who has never existed', then unless he has some sort of outlier skillset like Wemby he's unlikely to pan out. That is what "power forward Jokic" amounts to.