NBA Rookie Check-In: First Impressions, Player Comps & Early Expectations

P1: Darius Acuff Jr.     P2: Cameron Boozer     P3: Caleb Wilson     P4: Darryn Peterson    P5: Yaxel Lendeborg

What’s up gang, welcome back to Part 2 of my five-part NBA rookie series. First, I'd like to thank everyone who showed me support after the previous article went live. Means a lot to me. We started this series last week with Darius Acuff Jr. Next up is Cameron Boozer, who’s building his case a little differently. 

Boozer may not be the sexiest or most explosive rookie in the class, but he’s doing exactly what we expected him to do. Making the jump from college to the NBA look seamless. Most rookies need a bit of time to get comfortable. Boozer, however,  showed up looking like he already knew where everyone was supposed to stand. There’s a maturity to his game that makes it easy to forget he’s eight games into his career.

He’s already flirting with a double-double and handing out 5.4 assists a night. The 36.4% shooting needs work, and we’ll get to that. But the fact that he can rebound, find teammates, and keep possessions moving while his own scoring finds its footing says a lot about how many ways he can impact a game.

Shoutout to my good friend DC Bets for buying preseason Grizzlies stock. Memphis won its first six games and now sits at 6–2 after close losses to New Orleans and Indiana. The Grizzlies early success is one of the most unexpected starts this NBA season and Boozer is a huge reason why. With his two biggest outputs coming in back-to-back games. Putting up a 18-point triple-double against Portland and then following it up with a a career-high 27 on Sacramento and our good friend Darius Acuff Jr. 

It’d be egregious to leave his dad out of this comparison. The last name carries weight, but you see Carlos in how Cameron gets position, plays through contact, and finishes with soft touch. The Şengün part is how he reads the help and finds the next pass before the defense rotates. That’s a big man you can run offense through, and if the three-point shot holds up, he’ll have even more room to attack or find a cutter.

Boozer is the NBA’s Gandhi, calmly reading the floor and seeing the next pass before the defense even knows it’s there. Sky is the limit purely based off his court vision and basketball IQ. He’ll make a pass that leaves you wondering how he knew the guy behind the defender was about to get open. When Boozer catches the ball in the middle of the floor, watch what happens the second a help defender takes a step toward him. He’ll find a cutter or an open shooter and get the ball there while the defense is still rotating. That’s how a rookie ends up with a 12-assist game this early in the season. The next step is finishing more consistently and taking better care of the ball under pressure. He had seven turnovers against Sacramento and five against Indiana. With great power comes great responsibility. 

Games Played: 8

PPG: 16.5

MPG: 32.2

RPG: 9.8

APG: 5.4

FG%: 36.4%

3PT%: 36.7%

Boozer vs. Trail Blazers: 18 PTS | 12 AST | 12 REB | 6/10 FG | 4/5 3PT | 2/2 FT | 28 MIN

Do I see any value on Boozer at +180? Absolutely none. You’re getting less than 2-to-1 in a loaded rookie class with 70-plus games left. A lot can change between now and April, and I see more upside at longer prices elsewhere in the field. That said, Boozer’s workload in Memphis might be what wins him the award. If he averages 15-plus points, flirts with a double-double every night, and keeps creating for his teammates, he’ll be tough to beat. At +180, you’re already paying for the hot start. I’m still high on Boozer, and I’ll be watching his finishing and ball security. We saw him drop 27 on Sacramento and then shoot 4-for-14 against Indiana a few nights later. If he can bring that Sacramento version more often and cut down on the turnovers, the rebounding and playmaking are already there.

If you made it all the way to the end of Part 2, I appreciate you. The support on the Acuff article meant a ton, and I’m having a blast putting this series together. Let me know what you think of Boozer and who you’ve got leading the rookie race. Caleb Wilson is up next. Cheers, gang!