The Washington Wizards are sitting in the cat bird seat. That doesn’t mean they cannot mess it up. And if they pass on Cameron Boozer, that is exactly what they would be doing.
Many NBA fans will remember the infamous Taco Bell commercial that was playing during ESPN’s broadcast of the NBA Draft when Nikola Jokic was drafted during the second round. Superstars are not supposed to be taken at that point in the draft.
Nikola Jokic broke the mold
Jokic didn’t fit the usual dimensions for a superstar. He was a doughy center who passed like a point guard and didn’t protect the rim. That kind of player usually fails. That Jokic not only made the NBA but turned into a three-time MVP is a testament to just how special of a player he truly is.
It’s always a danger to look at a draft prospect and jump to conclusions. While it would be great if every player was built like LeBron James or Victor Wembanyama, the reality is that superstars show up from a variety of starting places and body types.
That is why looking at Cameron Boozer and concluding that he won't be a superstar is a foolish move.
Cam Boozer is incredible
That doesn't mean that Boozer will absolutely be a star, but it does mean he has the potential to be one -- and one of the greats. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron is the consummate winner. He has won at every level of basketball, and until a buzzer-beating 30-footer went in for the UConn Huskies in the Elite Eight, he and his twin brother Cayden Boozer had a streak of winning the title in every competition they had been in for nearly a decade.
Boozer put up numbers not seen in college basketball in four decades, winning National Player of the Year as one of the youngest players in the nation. Yet the knock on him is that he isn't an elite athlete or on-ball shot creator, and that his lack of rim protection skills hamstring his long-term impact. Those are legitimate concerns to hold when evaluating his profile and tape. They just should not be deal-breakers.
Nikola Jokic is the prime example. Obviously, looking at any draft prospect and expecting them to be a three-time MVP and Top-25 player of all time is foolhardy. Yet Jokic is an example that the most skilled and intelligent players can transcend physical limitations. Jokic can barely jump over a shoebox and is not a shot-blocking force in the middle. He is also one of the greatest offensive players of all time.
Watching Boozer play, he has the potential to be that kind of player, even if it's unlikely he reaches that truly elite level. He reads the game incredibly well, he has improved every year he has been playing basketball, and his skillset is deep, varied and effective.
His upside is best offensive player in the league -- maybe not dropping 35 points per game like AJ Dybantsa could, maybe not putting opponents in the blender like Darryn Peterson hopes to. But by making the smart plays, filling up the stat sheet, driving winning -- just like Jokic has cracked the code, Boozer could be next in line.
The Wizards reportedly have not yet made their decision on who to draft, and Dybantsa and Peterson are certainly talked about more at No. 1. Either could turn into a future MVP candidate.
Boozer has that same upside, however, and a phenomenally high floor. The next Nikola Jokic might be entering the league. The Wizards should not pass on him.
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