On paper, it should be simple. Cameron Boozer plays like the No. 1 pick he is projected to be, and every NBA front office falls head over heels. That has been the script, and Boozer has been making it look exactly like that, playing his way into NOPY-favorite territory. Yet, for a certain reason, a few people still aren’t buying in.

An anonymous NBA executive recently claimed, “Every time he’s played against like-sized bigs, he can’t finish. He dominates lesser competition.”

Well, Cameron Boozer is delivering a team-high 23.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 56.2% from the field, 37.5% from three, and 77.3% from the line. He is even averaging 3.7 assists.

But, apparently, that’s not enough. And to be fair, Boozer hasn’t been perfect.

He struggled to separate from defenders early in the season and missed several shots at the rim in his first two high-major games against Texas and Kansas. But that narrative didn’t hold up after the last two games.

So, Duke didn’t waste a minute clapping back. Duke Nation called the take “absolutely hilarious,” reminding everyone that Boozer “just scored 29 on the best frontcourt in the country.”

When Arkansas chose not to bring a second defender and guarded him one-on-one, Boozer completely punished them. He dropped 35 points and nine rebounds, using polished post footwork. And that was one of the most productive games we’ve seen from any freshman this season.

That score matched the second-highest single-game total ever by a Duke freshman, topped only by Cooper Flagg’s 42-point performance versus Notre Dame last season.

And he once again replicated it all against Florida, one of the best and most disciplined frontcourts in the country. The Gators came up on Wednesday after dominating Miami while holding Malik Reneau to just 21 points on 35% shooting, despite him averaging 21.3 points on 64% shooting prior. Naturally, many assumed Florida would slow Boozer down.

But even they had no answer for his power and poise. As Florida coach Todd Golden put it, “What we couldn’t live with was allowing Cam to get back to his right hand, left shoulder, center of the line… giving him those right-lane drives.”

And Florida did make things difficult. Reuben beat Boozer to spots. He kept him off the free-throw line. Adding to that was the Gators’ zone that threw off his rhythm. After halftime, Reuben defended Boozer even better. And it worked too, as Boozer had 13 points while going for 4-of-12 shooting in the second half.

Still, the spotlight never left Boozer. His impact on both ends carried Duke through the game. Every time Florida tied the score, Boozer answered. Every time Boogie Fland hit a big shot, Boozer matched him. 

Even when the second half got sloppy, he reignited Duke’s energy-drawing fouls, sinking free throws, stealing the ball from Thomas Haugh, and finishing strong at the rim. He even delivered a “great pass” to Isaiah Evans for a clutch three that sealed the one-point win.

By the end of the game, Boozer had 29 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal. So yes, defending Boozer was punishing for Florida’s defense. And it’s not just about one game. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer has already cemented himself among college basketball’s elite. He’s been unstoppable through the first nine games. Yet somehow, he’s still being undervalued.

Why Boozer deserves an elevation? 

When Boozer committed to Duke, he had a lot of expectations to live up to. He was following in the footsteps of his father, Carlos Boozer, and Cooper Flagg, the superstar freshman from last year who became the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. But the pressure hasn’t fazed him at all. He has proved himself from day one.

And that’s evident in his nearly perfect stat line of 23.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. So, when Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney called him the best freshman in the country so far, it made sense.  Still, not everyone’s on the same page. According to Field of 68, he’s ranked only No. 5 for the 2027 NBA draft.

That’s surprising, especially when the freshmen around him are still struggling. Nate Ament at Tennessee hasn’t found his rhythm. Mikel Brown has been inefficient. AJ Dybantsa hasn’t looked like a reliable passer. And No. 1 recruit Darryn Peterson has barely played because of injury and is limited to just two games. So in that context, Boozer isn’t just good, he’s dominating. Still, what do you think? Doesn’t he deserve the top spot?