Grizzlies' Cameron Boozer Predicted to Win 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The Memphis Grizzlies selected Cameron Boozer with the third overall pick in this year's draft, and one NBA analyst predicts the Duke product will win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes Boozer will win ROY over Caleb Wilson (Chicago Bulls), Darryn Peterson (Utah Jazz), and AJ Dybantsa (Washington Wizards).
Why it matters for Memphis Grizzlies
Boozer's situation in Memphis may not be conducive to winning a bunch of games, but Rookie of the Year isn't impacted as much by team success. The agency he'll have over the Grizzlies' offense should allow his abyss-deep armory to shine and his numbers to pop. Boozer won the Player of the Year award last season in college, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 78.9% from the free-throw line.
What comes next?
In Summer League, Boozer played well, averaging 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 45.2% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc, and 77.3% from the free-throw line. The youngster made the Summer League First Team and led Memphis to the championship game, a contest the Golden State Warriors won. Boozer's combination of playmaking, physicality, and positional flexibility as a 6-foot-10 forward has drawn comparisons to the multi-skilled roster construction that defined the New York Knicks' 2025-26 championship approach, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.
The Grizzlies' new starting lineup
Memphis is widely expected to start Ty Jerome, Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward, Cameron Boozer, and Zach Edey next season. On paper, that's a pretty decent starting lineup. It will be intriguing to see what type of numbers Cameron Boozer puts up next season.
Recent form
The Memphis Grizzlies have lost their last five games, with their most recent loss coming against the Houston Rockets on April 13, 2026, with a final score of 132-101. Recent form: 0W-0D-5L (LLLLL, most recent first).
