The former Duke star Cameron Boozer is set to be drafted to the NBA and is a highly rated prospect, projected to be at least a top-four pick tonight. The battle for the No. 1 overall pick, however, has essentially come down to being a debate between Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.
Hence, Boozer is widely expected not to be picked first overall despite dominating throughout the NCAA season and being one of the best prospects from this class. This hasn’t sat well with him and seems to have given him a chip on his shoulder.
Boozer spoke to Kendrick Perkins and the ESPN crew before the draft and addressed his views on the narrative that he won’t be the No. 1 overall pick.
“Of course, I feel [I should be the No. 1 pick], I’m not gonna say I don’t understand why people say that [Peterson and Dybantsa will be picked ahead of me], those two guys are amazing players, everyone knows that.”
“But for me, not being in that conversation, I don’t understand it. But many years down the line, people will say that I should’ve been,” Boozer said confidently.
This is a bold take coming from the winner of the National College Player of the Year award, who averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 38 games played while shooting 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc during his one year at Duke.
“I think my versatility is very underrated. A lot of people talk about me, and I think they don’t really understand the game,” Boozer said.
The Wizards, who have the first overall pick for the 2026 NBA Draft, have a logjam of talent on the wings but need some guard depth. Hence, Darryn Peterson is widely believed to be the best fit for their franchise instead of Boozer.
Moreover, even if the Wizards do decide they could use a forward on their roster, AJ Dybantsa makes a compelling case to be a solid young prospect to invest in, over Boozer. Therefore, experts don’t think the Wizards will select Boozer as the first overall pick.
The 18-year-old is using this as a fuel for motivation in his future and expects that he will prove his critics wrong with his performance. In essence, Boozer responded that he felt overlooked and would use the outcome as inspiration moving forward.
Instead of being disappointed, he used it as motivation to disprove teams and demonstrate that he was deserving of the top spot. His remarks during the draft process, in which he highlighted his output, winning record, and conviction that he belonged in the No. 1 conversation, are consistent with that position. It will be fascinating to see if Boozer can prove critics wrong in his career.
