Columbus Alum Cameron Boozer Earns National Player of the Year Honors with Duke

by Ale Menendez

Clemson's RJ Godfrey tries to knock the ball away from Duke's Cameron Boozer, right, in the first half during the semifinals of the ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/TNS)

Duke freshman Cameron Boozer has lived up to expectations this season, becoming one of the most dominant players in college basketball.

In his first year, he earned first-team All-America honors and was named Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year and rookie of the year. His impact has also been recognized nationally, as he won the 2025 to 2026 Oscar Robertson Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top men’s player, along with the Wayman Tisdale Award for national freshman of the year from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Before the national spotlight, Boozer built his name at Christopher Columbus High School, where he helped lead the team to four straight state championships and a national title with his brother and Duke teammate, Cayden. That success has continued, as Columbus recently won its fifth consecutive state championship, continuing the standard he helped set.

Boozer will be honored during Final Four weekend in Indianapolis and will receive his award at the USBWA College Basketball Awards Banquet on April 13 in St. Louis.

Boozer has also been one of the most productive players in the country. He is averaging 22.4 points per game, ranking ninth nationally, and 10.3 rebounds per game to lead the ACC. He also averages 4.2 assists per game, while contributing on defense and shooting .560 from the field.

His postseason performance has matched his regular season play. In Duke’s NCAA Tournament win over TCU, Boozer scored 19 points, including 17 in the second half, and added 11 rebounds for another double-double. He also had four assists and three steals, becoming one of the few freshmen in the past decade to reach those numbers in a tournament game.

Boozer has also made history at Duke. He is the first Blue Devil since 1978 to record double-doubles in each of his first two NCAA Tournament games. His award places him alongside other Duke players who have won the Oscar Robertson Trophy in consecutive years.

Duke enters the Sweet 16 with a 34-2 record and a 13-game winning streak. The Blue Devils will face St. John’s in the East Regional semifinal, with Boozer expected to play a key role as the team continues its tournament run.