Cameron Boozer hasn’t officially declared for the NBA Draft yet, but the buzz around him keeps building. And it’s not just scouts or analysts talking. It’s the guys who actually had to guard him.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn’s big man, was asked on The Ryen Russillo Show who the best player he went up against last season was. His answer came fast.
“Probably Boozer. I like Boozer, the way he competed. He was a competitor, and I respect that about him, especially at that young age. And, like, you can tell he wants to win,” Reed said.
Reed wasn’t done. He went on to explain why Boozer gets his respect in an era where everyone wants the highlight reel.
“You keep the game simple,” Reed said. “People always, you know, with this era. Everyone wants the flashy, the pretty, the step back, you know, tween tween, hesi cross. He’s getting straight line drive, pump fake, pump fake, pump fake, finish at the rim and-one, and then he wins like all these accolades in college basketball, like, if it’s so easy, how come everybody else is not doing, you know? And that’s what I respect about it, like, he just keeps it simple.”
Boozer vs. Reed: The Elite Eight showdown
Reed and Boozer met in the Elite Eight, and it was exactly the kind of game you’d expect between two dominant bigs. UConn pulled out a 73-72 win, but Boozer nearly carried Duke past them. He finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Reed put up 26 points, nine boards, four blocks, and two steals. Neither guy backed down.
That game was basically a preview of what NBA teams are about to get. Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists last season at Duke, shooting 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from three. He’s not the flashiest guy on the floor. He doesn’t need to be. He just gets buckets and wins.
What this means for the 2026 NBA Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft starts next Tuesday, and Boozer is widely expected to be a top pick. Some think he could go No. 1 overall. The fact that a player like Reed — someone who battled him in the paint for 40 minutes — calls him the best he faced says a lot.
It’s one thing to hear analysts talk about a prospect’s ceiling. It’s another to hear a peer say, flat out, that the guy is the real deal. Nobody’s calling Boozer a flashy prospect. They’re calling him a winner. And that kind of reputation doesn’t fade.
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