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Jay Bilas reveals concern about Cameron Boozer going into 2026 NBA Draft

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh6 hours agogriffin_mcveigh

Cameron Boozer will not have to wait long before his name is called at the 2026 NBA Draft. Whether he is taken No. 1 or slides a couple of spots, Boozer is still among the best prospects out there. But in what appears to be a historic class, everyone is going to be looking at every aspect of players’ games. With this, potential concerns will come out.

For Boozer, his athleticism might be what scares teams. This comes from ESPN’s Jay Bilas, who has been a big fan of Boozer throughout the season. But if there is one flaw to him, Bilas says not being a “crazy athlete” might be it.

“The hard one, I think, is going to be Cameron Boozer,” Bilas said via The Ryen Rusillo Show. “He’s so productive and so good. He’s just not this crazy athlete that you would like to see.”

To say Boozer was productive during his lone campaign at Duke would be an understatement. The John Wooden Award is likely heading his way because of the performance put up. Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists for the Blue Devils. This came with 22 double-doubles, highlighted by a 26-point, 15-rebound effort vs. North Carolina in the regular season finale.

Even in the NCAA Tournament, Duke found itself advancing thanks to Boozer. Three of the four games played for Jon Scheyer‘s club saw Boozer score at least 20 points — getting 19 in the second-round contest vs. TCU. Three of the previously mentioned double-doubles came before falling two rebounds shy of the mark in the historic UConn loss. So, while Duke may not have made the Final Four, Boozer certainly showed out in an attempt to get them there.

Bilas is not the only one on this train regarding Bilas. ESPN’s latest mock draft placed Boozer No. 3 overall to the Indiana Pacers. When explaining the selection, Jeremy Woo echoed some of the same concerns.

“He’s having a historically productive season operating as the fulcrum of a Duke team with title aspirations,” Woo said. “He excels in nearly every offensive area. But his average explosiveness, coupled with slower defensive ground coverage, has raised questions about his ceiling.”

Going through the process will give Boozer an opportunity to prove himself. The NBA Combine is a place where data points can be collected to showcase athleticism. But for now, Bilas and others are pointing out something to watch for.