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Even though two players were selected ahead of Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer in the 2026 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old may be the No. 1 overall pick when it comes to the Rookie of the Year conversation.
Boozer, widely listed as the betting favorite to win the award this season, can now add another vote of confidence to the list. ESPN asked a group of its NBA experts to predict the 2026-27 Rookie of the Year, and nobody garnered more points than Boozer.
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No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson came in at second place in the poll, and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa came in at third place. The margins were slim among the top three.
With regard to the Rookie of the Year race, Boozer will have the advantage of playing a big role on a rebuilding Grizzlies team that doesn’t have many other high-usage options. Peterson and Dybantsa are also sure to play big roles but will have to share usage with All-Star teammates.
In addition, Boozer has been described as the most NBA-ready player in this year’s draft class, which should help him come in and make an immediate impact. That’s no guarantee that he will seamlessly transition to the NBA, but perhaps he has a bit of a head start over some of his peers.
Boozer spent just one season at Duke before declaring for the draft and landing with the Grizzlies. In his lone season in college, he was phenomenal, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from long range. He took home all sorts of national honors.
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His success in 2026 didn’t stop there. After being drafted, he turned heads in Summer League action as the Grizzlies nearly won the crown. Across eight games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, Boozer averaged 18.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from deep.
He played through the Summer League finish line, with Memphis ultimately falling in the championship game in Las…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/espn-nba-experts-pick-cameron-063535212.html
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Publish date : 2026-08-28 06:35:00
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