Duke University’s first-year forward Cameron Boozer has captured the Associated Press men’s college basketball Player of the Year Award following an outstanding debut season with the Blue Devils.
The 18-year-old power forward posted impressive numbers throughout the campaign, averaging 22.5 points along with 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists across 38 games, starting in every contest. His stellar play helped propel Duke to an exceptional 35-3 overall record.
In the East Regional championship game, Boozer delivered 27 points on 10-of-21 field goal attempts while grabbing eight rebounds, though the Blue Devils fell short in a heartbreaking 73-72 loss to UConn after the Huskies mounted a late comeback.
Duke captured both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship with a 17-1 league record and claimed the conference tournament title as well.
This recognition makes Boozer only the fifth first-year player in history to receive the AP Player of the Year honor, and marks the second straight year a Duke freshman has claimed the award following Cooper Flagg’s achievement in his lone collegiate campaign.
Both Boozer and Flagg are among nine Duke players who have received this prestigious recognition, giving the Blue Devils the most recipients in college basketball history.
Before joining Duke alongside his twin brother Cayden, Boozer starred at Christopher Columbus High School in Westchester, Florida, where he earned Florida Mr. Basketball honors and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
The twin brothers are the children of former NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, who enjoyed a 13-year professional career that included two All-Star selections during his six seasons with the Utah Jazz. The elder Boozer compiled career averages of 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds over 861 games while also suiting up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
