Anonymous NBA Executive Predicts Cameron Boozer As 2027 Rookie Of The Year
The NBA draft was famously loaded this year, featuring several all-star prospects in the first round. For teams across the league, it was an opportunity to stock up on young talent and start building toward the future.
While AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson will be getting the bulk of the attention from fans and media, third overall pick Cameron Boozer has also been getting his due. According to one NBA executive, Boozer is poised to win Rookie of the Year this upcoming season, despite being on a rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies team.
“Boozer is a winner, and he’s won things his entire young life,” the executive told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “Memphis isn’t going to have a good year, but he’s going to be the bright spot, and he’s going to win the award.”
The Rookie of the Year award doesn’t have obvious criteria like the MVP or Defensive Player of the Year. Sometimes, it’s the rookie with the highest stats, and sometimes it’s the rookie who most outperforms expectations. More often than not, however, it’s No. 1 picks who end up winning the award, with Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, and Paolo Banchero being some of the most recent examples.
But in the case of Dybantsa, he’ll be playing for a well-stocked Wizards team that already includes veterans like Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Unless he outperforms his experienced teammates, it’s going to be tough for him to get the minutes and numbers typically required to win Rookie of the Year. It gives the perfect opportunity for someone like Boozer to shock everyone and steal the spotlight.
The 6’9″ forward was the third overall pick after a stellar season at Duke. In 38 games, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 55.6% shooting from the field. He led the team to a 35-3 record before losing in the East Regional Final.
Hailed for his polished, mature game, Boozer has a chance to become the face of Grizzlies basketball if he continues to grow and develop his skills. Still, as-is, he’s capable of making an immediate impact with his three-level scoring, exceptional court vision, and reliable floor spacing abilities. From everything we’ve seen, it’s clear that Cameron Boozer has the right talent and approach to be the NBA’s next Rookie of the Year, but his chances may come down to how the Grizzlies perform as a team.
In the wake of several major trades (including Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.), the Grizzlies are not in a position to compete. In fact, experts expect them to be among the worst teams in basketball, potentially worse than even other tanking teams. While this isn’t usually a problem in the rookie of the year race, it could hurt Boozer’s chances if the Jazz and Wizards finish better in the standings. Fortunately, between Boozer, Jerami Grant, and Zach Edey, the Grizzlies might have just enough to be respectable opponents.
Ultimately, only time will tell how the 2027 award races pan out, but Boozer isn’t focused on personal accolades anyway. His only goal is to help the Grizzlies win at any cost while bringing his best on the floor every night. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
