Cam Boozer joins illustrious list of Duke Blue Devils Wooden Award winners

Duke power forward Cameron Boozer won the 2026 John R. Wooden Award on Friday, given to the most outstanding men’s and women’s college basketball players, adding his name to an elite group of Blue Devils honorees. The 18-year-old is the fifth freshman ever to win the award, joining Duke alumni Cooper Flagg and Zion Williamson, as well as Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant.

Moreover, Boozer becomes the eighth Blue Devils player to win the Wooden Award, extending Duke’s record as the men’s program with the most recipients in the award’s history (8). The honor is named after UCLA coaching legend John Wooden, who won 10 national championships between 1964 and 1975.

Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game during his freshman season. He shot 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range while anchoring the Blue Devils’ offense and rebounding presence throughout the season.

He helped lead Duke to a 35-3 overall record, including a 17-1 finish in ACC regular-season play, along with an ACC tournament title. The Blue Devils earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight. Their tournament run ended after a 73-72 loss to UConn.

Boozer also collected major individual honors beyond the Wooden Award. He was a unanimous First-Team AP All-American and received 59 of 61 votes for AP Player of the Year. He additionally swept national awards, including the Naismith Trophy and honors from the USBWA, NABC, Sporting News, and CollegeInsider.com.

Boozer is projected to be a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

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