Cameron Boozer Becomes Fifth Freshman to Win AP Player of the Year, and Duke's Dynasty Just Got Deeper

Duke's Cameron Boozer is the AP's men's college basketball national Player of the Year, and yeah, he's only a freshman. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward just joined one of the most exclusive clubs in college basketball, becoming only the fifth freshman ever to take home the award. That's the kind of freshman season that changes programs, and for Duke, it's the second straight year they've had the Player of the Year.

The Ultimate Two-Way Force

Boozer wasn't just good this season. He was everywhere. Tough enough to score through physical play, rangy enough to space the floor and shoot from outside, and skilled enough as a passer to find teammates even when defenses were constantly sending double-teams his way. The guy did everything Duke needed him to do, and the Blue Devils rewarded him for it by winning 35 games, reaching No. 1 in the AP Top 25, securing the top overall seed for March Madness, and making it all the way to the Elite Eight.

The numbers back it up. Boozer averaged 22.5 points per game (ninth in Division I) and 10.2 rebounds per game (12th). He finished tied for the national lead with 22 double-doubles. Oh, and he also averaged 4.1 assists while shooting 55.6% overall and 39.1% from 3-point range. Those aren't just good stats for a freshman. Those are elite.

Joining the Duke Legacy

Boozer received 59 of 61 votes from AP Top 25 voters when the results dropped Friday. The other two votes went to BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who averaged an NCAA-best 25.5 points per game. But this award belongs to Boozer, and he joins some serious company. He was also named a unanimous first-team AP All-American last month. Now he sits alongside Cooper Flagg (last year), Zion Williamson (2019), Kentucky's Anthony Davis (2012), and Texas' Kevin Durant (2007) as freshmen to win the AP award. Every single one of them went No. 1 or No. 2 in the NBA draft that year.

Son of longtime NBA player Carlos Boozer, also a Duke legend, Cameron isn't taking any of this for granted. "You just want to affect winning in whatever way you can," he told the AP. "It just goes to show more about what our team has done. It's really just not me."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.