Like father, like son(s).
On Friday, five-star twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer — the No. 2 and No. 21 players, respectively, in the 2025 recruiting class — announced their long-awaited commitments to Duke, picking the Blue Devils over fellow finalists Miami and Florida.
In doing so, both continue the family legacy that their father, Carlos — who started on Duke’s 2001 national championship team, before embarking on his 13-year NBA career — began 25 years ago.
“Duke nation, baby!”
Five-star basketball recruits and twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer announce that they will be joining @DukeMBB. pic.twitter.com/5RLSDACblM
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) October 11, 2024
While both brothers will be welcome additions in Durham, Cameron — a 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward — has a level of expectation all his own. Not only did he propel his high school team, Columbus, to three straight Florida state championships, but he led his grassroots team to three straight Peach Jam titles, including being named Peach Jam MVP this summer. (By averaging 24.5 points and 13.4 rebounds per game, Cameron led the EYBL in both categories this summer.) Between his physical frame, which is college-ready right now, and his well-rounded skillset, Cameron has long been considered one of the nation’s elite high schoolers, in the same vein as current Duke freshman Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 player in the 2025 class.
Scouting-wise, he’s a force inside, with advanced footwork and a deep bag of post moves; unsurprisingly, he’s also been one of the best rebounders in grassroots basketball from the time he was 15. But in recent years, Cameron has developed into more of a legitimate stretch-big, too, capable of making 3s at a respectable clip and even bringing the ball up the floor as necessary. He’s not the most athletic player in the class, but with the same frame and IQ as his father — only much more advanced from outside, even as a teenager — Cameron should be an instant-impact starter at the college level, before moving onto the NBA as a high lottery pick in 2026.
Cayden, meanwhile, plays a completely different game and position from his dad and brother. He’s won at the highest levels of youth basketball, just like his twin — including being named MVP of the 2023 U16 Peach Jam championship game — but at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he’s much more of a true point guard. Cayden sets the table well offensively, striking the balance between setting up teammates (like Cameron) and calling his own number; he led the EYBL in assists this summer with 6.5 per game. Because of his brother’s status, Cayden sometimes doesn’t get the individual shine he deserves, but he too should have at least a role as a freshman, even if he projects as more of a multi-year college player.
For Duke, landing the Boozers wasn’t just a luxury; it was a necessity, given both the team’s expected departures next summer and its lack of commits thus far. Cameron and Cayden are Duke’s first two commits in the 2025 class, and will be the foundation around which Jon Scheyer builds the rest of his class. Scheyer is expected to lose at least five contributors from this season’s roster, including Flagg, in the offseason. The Blue Devils hosted three other top-40 prospects — wing Nate Ament (No. 4), wing Shelton Henderson (No. 22), and point guard Acaden Lewis (No. 36) — last weekend for their annual Countdown to Craziness preseason event.
Required reading
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
