The fate of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise had been in the hands of point guard Ja Morant since 2019.
Now that Morant is gone, someone else has to assume some of that pressure and responsibility.
Enter Cam Boozer.
The 19-year-old was selected No. 3 overall by the Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Draft, arriving in Memphis with the expectations that come with being one of the highest picks in franchise history.
Those expectations were evident on Sept. 28 during the Grizzlies’ annual media day at FedExForum’s Don Poier Media Center. Boozer was one of the biggest talking points as teammates and coaches discussed a player who has yet to participate in his first official NBA practice but has already made an impression during voluntary workouts.
Memphis begins
training camp on Sept. 29 at Belmont University in Nashville.
And if the early reviews are any indication, the Grizzlies believe they have something special.
Impressing Grizzlies teammates
A number of players are already speaking highly of Boozer. Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is known to challenge teammates with constructive thoughts. When asked about young players who stand out, he immediately pointed out Boozer.
"He's a rookie that doesn't really make mistakes," Pippen said. "He's been someone that on both ends of the floor, he kind of has it all. I think he's someone that's going to hopefully change this franchise and do a lot of great things for us."
Fellow point guard Javon Small spent time playing with Boozer in summer league. Small has been a scorer for most of his basketball life, but playing with those like Boozer is allowing him to hone in more on his facilitating.
"Cam Boozer will be a shocking name. Well, I don't even think it will be shocking," Small said. "He'll be one of the top players in this league for sure."
And then there's Zach Edey. When Boozer was going through the pre-draft process, he pointed out how playing alongside quality centers maximized his talent. Now that Edey is expected to be ready to go at the start of the season,he's already excited about the idea of teaming with Boozer.
"Some of the passes he makes in practice, it's pretty unreal for his age," Edey said. "I think we help each other really well. Play off each other's strengths and we kind of hide each other's weaknesses a little bit."
No pressure for Cam Boozer
Boozer is coming into the NBA after winning championships at the high school level and helping lead Duke to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season. Now he'll be tasked with leading a rebuild. It's a lot for a rookie, but Boozer doesn't seem like one who is shying away from the challenge.
"For me, I think playing a national schedule in high school and going to Duke, I'll feel really prepared and really ready," Boozer said. "Whatever system they put me in, I'm going to do a great job. You can really put me anywhere. I'm going to find ways to impact winning. I think that just comes from my feel for the game."
Jahmai Mashack is an observant player who already has taken a liking to Boozer. Both are basketball players who are often praised for their ability to read the game.
Mashack has had in-depth conversations on film breakdowns with Boozer, and believes he has the mentality of a potential franchise cornerstone.
"It's a lot of guys that come into the draft that are good players and going to be superstars," Mashack said. "He's one of those guys that you feel like you want them to succeed because you feel like they can handle it well. You feel like they will be responsible with the position they're going to have . . . (Boozer), that's a guy you want to have that position."
Tuomas Iisalo managing expectations
For all the praise surrounding Boozer, he still hasn't had an official practice with the Grizzlies.
That's where Tuomas Iisalo comes in.
The Grizzlies' coach said they will put Boozer in many positions, including playing him on the perimeter and in the post. Still, with everything that's going to be thrown Boozer's way, Iisalo won't lose sight of the fact that these will be his first real NBA reps.
"We have to understand, even though he's very developed for his age both mentally and physically, he is a 19-year-old going into his first NBA year, and there will be an adjustment period for him, too," Iisalo said.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Cam Boozer is already drawing praise from Grizzlies teammates
