The following set of elite basketball twins are about announce their faculty determination. Cameron and Cayden Boozer are five-star prospects out of Columbus Excessive Faculty in Miami who’ve gained on the highest degree all over the place they’ve performed. Now they’re selecting between the Duke Blue Devils and the Miami Hurricanes for the place they may proceed their careers.
Cameron and Cayden are the sons of long-time NBA ahead Carlos Boozer. The twins gained three straight Florida state championships at Columbus throughout their first three years in class, and matched it with three straight EYBL championships in U15, U16, and U17 divisions throughout grassroots season. Add in a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball — the place Cameron was named MVP in each tournaments — and the Boozer twins have an simple case as the best winners of their era at the highschool degree.
Cameron Boozer shall be competition to be the No. 1 total decide within the 2026 NBA Draft alongside elite wing A.J. Dybansta. The 6’9 large man’s signature ability is his extremely excessive really feel for the sport. He’s been a traditionally environment friendly scorer all through his prep profession, displaying the power to punish opponents on the glass and within the submit, whereas additionally having the ability to step out for three-pointers and create for himself off the dribble. The larger Boozer isn’t precisely an above-the-rim athlete, however his mixture of IQ, contact, dimension, power, passing, and motor is not possible to disclaim.
Cayden Boozer didn’t get his brother’s luck within the genetic lottery, however he nonetheless has respectable dimension for some extent guard at about 6’3. Cayden seems destined to be an amazing faculty flooring common on the very least. He has a giant, sturdy body that helps him hound opposing guards on the level of assault. He’s a heady passer who thrives pushing his staff in transition. He’s getting higher as a shooter, and might be an NBA prospect in his personal proper whether or not it’s as a one-and-one or somebody who wants a number of years in class.
It’s uncommon you see a high-profile recruiting battle between ACC foes Duke and Miami, however both college could be an ideal selection for the Boozer twins. Let’s break it down.
The case for Duke
Duke doesn’t have any commitments for the category of 2025 but. They might love for Cameron and Cayden Boozer to be the primary.
Cameron Boozer would instantly take over for Cooper Flagg, the very probably No. 1 total decide within the 2025 NBA Draft, as Duke’s beginning energy ahead and first offensive possibility. Boozer and Flagg have had some wonderful battles all through their highschool careers, and every appear destined to be large NBA stars. Whereas Flagg is extra athletic and the higher defender, Boozer is a extra polished scorer. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer would haven’t any downside fine-tuning his schemes to suit Boozer’s distinctive skills.
Cameron Boozer would match proper in to Duke’s lineage of scoring forwards with elite NBA pedigrees. From Jabari Parker to Brandon Ingram to Jayson Tatum to Zion Williamson to Jalen Johnson to Paolo Banchero to Flagg, Duke at all times appears to have a stud freshman wing/ahead destined to be picked excessive within the draft. It simply makes an excessive amount of sense for Boozer to be subsequent.
It’s arduous to say how Duke’s guard state of affairs will shake out subsequent 12 months with regard to Cayden’s match within the backcourt. Duke has Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, and Darren Harris at backcourt spots this 12 months. Proctor is presently a junior and Foster is a sophomore, so each might theoretically return subsequent 12 months. It wouldn’t be a shock to see a kind of gamers flip professional, opening up a possible beginning spot for Cayden. Participant motion in faculty basketball is so fluid nowadays that it feels pointless to mission the roster this far out.
Did we point out that the twins’ father, Carlos Boozer, was a big-time star at Duke again within the day? From a legacy perspective, Duke checks so many containers.
The case for Miami
Miami has a couple of issues going for it on this determination towards Duke. Choosing the Hurricanes would permit the Boozer twins to carve out their very own legacy. It could permit them to remain at residence in Florida. It could additionally probably assure a beginning job for Cayden that he might or might not have at Duke.
Miami has been one of many faculties on the forefront of throwing out large offers within the NIL period. Bear in mind when Nijel Pack getting $800K in NIL to switch to Miami was a giant deal? Today, high transfers are getting $2 million per 12 months whereas Pack remains to be on the roster for the Hurricanes. Duke is clearly an NIL monster in its personal proper, however it does really feel like Miami might be aggressive within the market if it means touchdown day one superstars just like the Boozer twins.
At Duke, the Boozers could be persevering with a lineage that features their father and so many different star gamers. At Miami, they might legitimately be the most important basketball stars in program historical past. The Hurricanes have by no means gained the nationwide championship, however they did make the Last 4 two years in the past as a No. 5 seed. This program can win even within the twilight of head coach Jim Larrañaga’s profession.
Town of Miami appears to imply lots to the Boozers. As a Chicago Bulls fan, I bear in mind seeing them on TV for the primary time cheering for the Warmth regardless of their father taking part in for Chicago. They caught at a personal highschool within the metropolis as an alternative of transferring to a prep program elsewhere. There’s nothing higher than doing it to your hometown, and committing to the Hurricanes offers the Boozers the prospect to do exactly that.
Miami already misplaced most of its staff over this previous offseason. They’re kind of constructing from scratch, with five-star guard Jalil Bethea main a powerful recruiting class. The guess right here is that Bethea goes to the NBA after this season. With Pack and star wing Matthew Cleveland each out of eligibility after this season, it feels just like the Hurricanes could have largely a clean slate roster to be stuffed in recruiting and with the switch portal. Scoring guard Jalen Blackmon (a Stetson switch) ought to be again, and incoming freshman capturing guard Austin Swartz (No. 65 ranked in his class) and wing Isaiah Johnson-Arigu (No. 145 in his class) ought to be contributors, however each Boozers would clearly have enormous roles and could be the leaders of the staff instantly in the event that they go to Miami.
Boozer twins recruiting prediction
I’ll go together with Duke. It’s arduous to wager towards the Blue Devils in recruiting. Cameron Boozer specifically simply appears destined to proceed Duke’s lineage of stud freshman scoring forwards, and Cayden is sweet sufficient to get rotation minutes instantly at minimal.
This dedication is approaching Thursday, Oct. 10. We’ll know quickly.