The NBA Draft lottery has just reshuffled the deck, and for Duke fans and basketball purists alike, one name is already generating serious buzz: Cameron Boozer. After the Utah Jazz secured the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, all signs point to the former Blue Devil star heading to Salt Lake City.
There's a poetic symmetry here. Back in 2004, Cameron's father, Carlos Boozer, was traded to the Jazz after two NBA seasons and went on to spend seven productive years in Utah. Fast forward 22 years, and the basketball gods might just be scripting a family sequel.
The lottery results shook out with the Washington Wizards landing the coveted No. 1 pick, while the Jazz snagged the second spot. If projections hold true—and in the draft world, they rarely deviate this early—Washington is expected to take BYU sensation AJ Dybantsa first overall. That leaves Boozer, the 2026 Wooden Award winner and ACC Player of the Year, as the logical choice for Utah at No. 2.
This year's lottery was a fierce battle for positioning among the top four slots, which are widely considered to belong to Dybantsa, Boozer, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, and UNC's Caleb Wilson. But for Boozer, the fit with the Jazz feels almost destined.
USA TODAY Sports' Bryan Kalbrosky echoed that sentiment in his post-lottery mock draft, slotting Boozer to Utah at No. 2. His assessment? "Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was dominant during his first NCAA season, earning national collegiate player of the year honors. The ACC Player of the Year isn't a human highlight reel, but he offers consistency and a diverse, impactful skill set." That kind of steady, all-around game is exactly what rebuilding teams crave.
Boozer's freshman campaign at Duke was nothing short of spectacular. He anchored the Blue Devils' frontcourt with a polished inside-out game, showing off the basketball IQ and versatility that made him a five-star recruit. While he may not be the flashiest player in the draft, his reliability and winning pedigree are traits that translate seamlessly to the next level.
Mark your calendars: the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft goes down on June 23rd in Brooklyn. If the mock drafts are any indication, Jazz fans might just be welcoming a new Boozer to the family.