“He Gonna Sell the Playoff Again”: NCAA World Reacts to Cameron Boozer’s 2026 NBA Draft Decision

On Apr 25, 2026

The post “He Gonna Sell the Playoff Again”: NCAA World Reacts to Cameron Boozer’s 2026 NBA Draft Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For many Duke fans, Cameron Boozer’s NBA declaration wasn’t a celebration of a dominant season, but a bitter reminder of how it all ended.

To declare for the 2026 NBA Draft, the Duke Blue Devils’ freshman took to his Instagram and shared a highlight reel packed with clips from his lone season with the Blue Blood program. And that gave fans a quick look back at what was nothing short of a dominant year.

In the caption, he wrote, “Thank you for everything @dukeuniversity. Duke Blue forever 💙💙.”

Cameron Boozer arrived in Durham with sky-high expectations, and let’s be honest, he didn’t just meet them, he raised the bar.

In just one season with the Blue Devils, the freshman forward established himself as the centerpiece of the team and averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. That all-around dominance not only made him Duke’s leader across the board but also earned him the Naismith National Player of the Year honor.

So once you get that kind of season on your résumé, the next step usually writes itself.

The 6-foot-9 forward quickly became a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, alongside names like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Still, it’s worth noting that his decision doesn’t just affect him.

With him now heading to the NBA and fellow scorer Isaiah Evans declaring too, head coach Jon Scheyer now has to reshape a roster that just lost its primary offensive engine. Cameron Boozer led the team in points, rebounds, and assists, which is something you rarely see, especially from a freshman.

So while this move was widely considered to happen, not everyone was completely sold on how Boozer’s college run ended, and that’s where the reactions started pouring in.

Cheers, doubts, and everything in between as Cameron Boozer declares for the NBA Draft

Just when his announcement went viral on social media, fans swarmed in with their thoughts.

“He gonna sell the playoff again,” one fan wrote. While another added, “That dude is gonna get BEASTED. His game won’t translate.”

The criticism from some fans largely traces back to the UConn Huskies knocking out the Duke Blue Devils in a heartbreaking 73–72 Elite Eight loss.

While Cameron Boozer finished with 27 points and 8 rebounds in that game, fans focused on the final moments of the game.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) cuts down the net after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the men’s ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With under 10 seconds left and Duke holding a narrow lead, the ball ended up with Cameron Boozer, who calmly moved it out of pressure. It eventually found his twin, Cayden Boozer, near half court, and all he had to do was hold on.

Instead, Cayden tried to push the ball forward, and that’s when they got a turnover, and the Huskies secured their win with a buzzer-beater. For many, these twins had to just keep the ball safe, and they wouldn’t have lost.

But what makes it even more complicated? Boozer was playing through multiple facial fractures after taking an elbow earlier in the tournament, yet still dropped 27 points in that game. But even that wasn’t enough to shift the narrative.

Still, some fans are only excited to see where he lands in the upcoming NBA draft.

“Either Golden State or Brooklyn,” one added. While another wrote, “Welcome to the thunder!!”

Depending on how the lottery plays out, Cameron Boozer’s landing spot could completely change the tone of his rookie year.

In one recent mock draft by NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor, Boozer is projected to go No. 3 overall to the Sacramento Kings. The fit there would immediately place him in a young frontcourt alongside 23-year-old Maxime Raynaud, giving Sacramento a long-term duo built around size and scoring.

Still, with the draft order not finalized, that’s just one possible path. But not everyone was rushing to overreact to the draft buzz.

One fan summed the excitement around this update and wrote, “I don’t think this is ‘breaking’ news.”

While the debates, projections, and reactions continue to build around Cameron Boozer, one thing is clear: no one believed his NBA future was ever really in doubt. So now, with his college chapter closed with the Duke Blue Devils, the focus shifts entirely to what comes next and where he’ll land on draft night.

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