Cameron Boozer is widely expected to hear his name called near the top of the 2026 NBA Draft, but questions about his athleticism continue to follow him despite a dominant freshman season at Duke.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James believes he’s seen this story before.
LeBron James Sees Familiar Narrative Around Cameron Boozer, Like With His Father
Speaking on the latest episode of “Mind the Game” with 2018 NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash, the four-time NBA champion compared Cameron’s pre-draft narrative to that of his father, former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
Nash suggested Cameron could end up being one of the most underrated players in the class because he is often compared against elite athletes.
“Boozer, it fascinates me,” Nash said. “He’s kind of in this top group here with these guys that are off-the-charts athletes. So it’s almost like a mark against him. But he’s so smart, sized, skilled.”
“I could see him being a guy that you would be underestimating this draft,” he added.
James recalled his time as a teammate of Carlos Boozer at the Cleveland Cavaliers, noting that many scouts had similar concerns about Cameron’s father before he entered the NBA.
“I played with his dad,” James said. “His dad was kind of the same. They had the same projection. Wasn’t the tallest. Undersized four. Wasn’t the most athletic.”
Despite those concerns, Carlos went on to enjoy a highly successful 13-year NBA career, earning two All-Star selections and scoring nearly 14,000 points with over 8,000 rebounds. He also received multiple lucrative contracts, including a $75 million move to the Chicago Bulls in 2010.
“We saw what he was able to do,” James continued. “Multiple All-Star. Got the max a couple times.”
James then shared some advice not only for Cameron but to every prospect entering the draft.
“The narrative of what you or what people are saying you are is never the end of the story,” the four-time Finals MVP said. “You make your career what you want your career to be. When you get the opportunity, just make the most of it.”
Ahead of the draft, Cameron’s father, Carlos, also made it clear he believes teams will regret overlooking his son.
“If they miss the boat, they will regret it,” the former Cavaliers and Utah Jazz star said. “This kid is a winner.”
“The one thing about Cam that separates him from everybody else in the draft is that he’s a guy that the rest of the team will galvanize around,” he added.
Cameron certainly backed up those claims during a remarkable freshman season at Duke. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while recording 22 double-doubles.
He also became the first Division I freshman in 30 years to register at least 705 points and 315 rebounds in a regular season. His efforts earned him the Naismith Player of the Year Award, the John R. Wooden Award, and the Karl Malone Award as the nation’s top power forward.
