CHICAGO, May 13, 2026, 17:04 CDT
Cameron Boozer’s 4.88 GPA from Christopher Columbus High in Miami is making the rounds again as NBA Draft Combine week rolls in, stacking up as another line on the Duke forward’s already safe 2026 NBA Draft résumé. According to The Sporting News, Boozer posted that number before heading to Duke for a one-and-done stint.
Timing’s key here. NBA teams have congregated in Chicago for player measurements, medicals, and interviews, just as Washington lands the No. 1 pick after taking Sunday’s lottery. Utah, Memphis, and Chicago sit right behind at picks 2, 3, and 4. That puts Boozer squarely in the middle of a top-of-the-board debate with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson.
Teams aren’t eyeing Boozer because of his classroom number. Still, that lofty GPA makes sense given everything scouts are parsing: steady production, discipline, how he handles interviews—plus the ever-present calculation on how much upside a front office is ready to gamble away for the promise of certainty.
The NBA has named 73 players to its AWS NBA Draft Combine roster, with the event scheduled for May 10-17 at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis. The league confirmed Boozer, Dybantsa, Peterson, and Wilson among those set to attend.
Boozer put up averages of 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 38 games at Duke, The Sporting News reported. The publication also noted that Boozer logged at least 13 points, five boards, and two assists every time out—the longest such run by any Division I player, men’s or women’s, since 2000.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, in a mock draft published by NBA.com, slotted Boozer to Memphis at No. 3 and called him “the safest bet in the class” to be a productive NBA player. Vecenie highlighted a division among scouts: many think Boozer’s on track to become an All-Star, but there’s less consensus on his upside as a go-to No. 1 option. NBA
Gary Parrish at CBS Sports went another way, slotting North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson to Memphis at No. 3, with Boozer landing at No. 4 for Chicago. Parrish described Boozer as having “low bust-potential” thanks to his steady impact on winning, but also noted some worry that Boozer’s ultimate upside might not match that of other top prospects. CBS Sports
Boozer’s numbers from the combine, per Bleacher Report: 6-foot-8.25, 252.8 pounds, wingspan just over 7-foot-1, standing reach at 9 feet even. His vertical? 35 inches—noticeably shy of Dybantsa’s 42 and Wilson’s 39.5, that gap fueling the debate around Boozer: does skill and savvy balance out the lack of elite bounce?
Jonathan Wasserman at Bleacher Report cut to the chase, calling the “big question” whether Boozer’s mix of production, skill, versatility and intangibles is enough to quiet concerns about his defense or athleticism. Wasserman still slotted Boozer at No. 3 to Memphis, but noted he could go anywhere from first to fourth, all hinging on how teams size up his upside. Bleacher Report
All eyes are on Washington’s top pick. Following the lottery, Wizards president Michael Winger described the No. 1 selection as “a welcomed opportunity, and challenge,” Reuters reported, marking the franchise’s first time at the top since drafting John Wall back in 2010. Dybantsa, meanwhile, made it clear to reporters: he’s “working to be the No. 1 pick.” Reuters
It’s easy to get caught up in the GPA or a standout résumé, but none of that answers the key questions for teams: Can Boozer actually shake off NBA-level defenders, lock down in space, or pull help as the top scoring threat? Vecenie wasn’t sold, flagging Boozer’s postseason: 44% shooting from the floor, just 32% from deep over Duke’s seven ACC and NCAA tournament outings.
Boozer brings production, size, pedigree—and, per the latest report, the grades. The question is whether Washington, Utah, Memphis, or Chicago will decide that’s enough to pick him over the explosiveness of Dybantsa, Peterson, or Wilson.
