Jon Scheyer clearly knows how to spot talent. Since he took over, Duke has seen 35 players get drafted, and 26 of them went in the first round. Last year was no exception, with Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach all cracking the top 10. And now, early in the 2025–26 season, it looks like he’s found another one. Cameron Boozer just dropped 35 in his fourth game. Still, as impressive as that scoring run is, that’s not the part Scheyer is most excited about.

What matters to the Head Coach is the shift in the guard’s mentality. “Obviously, Cam Boozer had a special night. For me, it was about his approach. He’s such a competitor. He didn’t love the way he played at Army. He came back so determined,” Scheyer shared in the post-game press conference.

And the HC has a point. Boozer is talented; some call it his magic. And, it’s hard to believe he’s a freshman. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Whether it’s long rebounds, tight putbacks, or cleaning up his own misses, the Miami native always finds a way to affect the game and create opportunities.

But not every night is a highlight reel, and Boozer knows it. His game against Army West Point proved that. Duke won 114–59, but Boozer wasn’t the headline. He posted 15 points, nine rebounds, and four assists on 50% shooting. He also went 4-for-8 from the field. Not a bad stat line, however, everyone, including Boozer himself, knows what he is capable of. 

Still, he impacted the game in other ways. He drew fouls to push Duke into the bonus. He set strong screens that opened lanes for guards. His offensive boards created second chances. But if you ask him, it wasn’t enough. So he went back, analysed, and returned with a vengeance.

As he put it, “I just had a change in mentality from the last game to this game-focusing on the right things like defense, rebounding, pressuring the ball. When I focus on those things, the other side naturally happens because of that mentality. That was the main thing tonight.”

Clearly, the shift worked. Boozer had 23 points in the first half on 9-for-10 shooting over Indiana State, arguably one of the best halves by a Duke freshman. And he didn’t stop there. He kept the momentum rolling and finished with 35 points on 13-for-16 shooting. Boozer is now tied for second in single-game scoring by a Duke freshman, trailing only Cooper Flagg’s 42-point eruption against Notre Dame.

He shares this mark with Zion Williamson and Jared McCain, and is already a point ahead of what Marvin Bagley and JJ Redick had in their first seasons with the Blue Devils. So, as the coach hinted, the spark is real. And it isn’t the first time Boozer has shown that winning mindset. He did it from the very first game of the season. During Duke’s opener against Texas, head coach Jon Scheyer issued a challenge to his star recruit.

He told Boozer he played “soft.” That was all it took. Boozer got the message and responded. After failing to score in the first half, he rallied to finish with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Ten of those points came after halftime as the sixth-ranked Blue Devils erased a 33–32 deficit to defeat Texas 75–60.

As he puts it better in the post-game press conference after the season opener, “I just tried to wash it off,” And it’s understandable since he missed seven shots. But he didn’t let that carry into the second half. He stepped up. He got to the line 12 times and converted nine free throws. He added three assists, two steals, and a block.

“He’s just a competitor and he’s a winner, and the ability to flip that switch in game – that’s what a lot of guys struggle with,” Scheyer said in the same conference. “That’s not an easy thing.” No, it’s not. Getting the ball in the low post. Spinning away from a defender.

Finishing through contact for a three-point play. It isn’t easy. But Boozer did it and helped Duke build a 14-point lead with five minutes remaining. For him, all this comes up from within, as he wants to prove. “I think we’re very overlooked right now,” he had said. Now, he’s doing everything he can to help Duke get back to the top.

Where Does Duke Stand in the Week 3 AP Poll?

Duke entered the 2025–26 season coming off a 35–4 record and an ACC regular-season title. Their NCAA Tournament run ended in the Final Four against Houston. But this year, Scheyer is hungry for redemption. He’s built a younger, faster, more balanced offensive core – one that resets the team’s identity while keeping the defensive intensity that fueled last year’s deep run.

So far, it’s working. Behind Cameron Boozer, Patrick Ngongba, Dame Sarr, Isaiah Evans, and Caleb Foster, Duke has climbed to 4–0 by mid-November. But while the wins are there, it still wasn’t enough to grab the top spot in the AP Poll.

According to the latest AP rankings, Duke has slipped from No. 4 to No. 5. They now sit below Purdue (1), Houston (2), UConn (3), and Arizona (4). All four teams are also undefeated, but the separation comes down to voting points. Duke has 677 points so far, while the others hover around or above 700. Purdue leads with 760.

But come on – it’s only the third week of November, and teams have played just four games. Points are a decent early indicator, but everything can shift quickly. Especially since Scheyer has a player who impacts every part of the game. Now Blue Devils head to Madison Square Garden for Tuesday’s showdown against Kansas. So what do you think – can Boozer push Duke to No. 1?