Cameron and Cayden Boozer just celebrated their 15th birthday two weeks ago, yet they speak with the wisdom well beyond their years of the recruiting crucible they’re about to fully experience.
The twin sons of former Duke and 13-year NBA veteran Carlos Boozer are already among the most highly recruited players in the Class of 2025. The duo just completed their freshman year at Columbus High School in Miami and have emerged in the top 25 of ESPN.com’s rankings.
Cameron, who resembles his mother, Cindy, is a 6-foot-8 forward ranked No. 1. Cayden, who looks more like his dad, is a 6-foot-3 guard and ranked No. 24. They helped lead their Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) team to the 15-and-under title at Peach Jam on Sunday in North Augusta, S.C.
“My mom is really the one who’s really prepared me for (recruiting), talking to me about coaches and people trying to come in contact with me and stuff, and just making sure everything’s legal and eligible and everything,” Cameron said. “I mean, it’s a lot but you’ve just got to try to block it out and try to just stay away from the noise and just play your game.”
The buzz to watch players is generally reserved for the rising seniors at Peach Jam, which is spread out on six basketball courts at the North Augusta (S.C.) Riverview Park Activities Center. And there was no shortage of star power and players with NBA pedigrees including LeBron James’ son, Bronny; and Carmelo Anthony’s son, Kiyan. Along with LeBron and Melo, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant also showed up and created a bit of chaos from adoring fans.
The Boozer twins were not overshadowed. When their Nightrydas squad faced off against Cooper Flagg, who is ranked No. 3 in the class, and Team Maine, their game got moved into the main gym to accommodate the oversized crowd.
“That part’s new for us, because it didn’t really come until this year,” said Cindy, who met Carlos Boozer while attending N.C. State. “They kind of flew under the radar before now, so which is our little team since second grade and nobody really paid attention. It’s been a little bit different, but I think that they’ve been raised the right way, so they stay humble.”
It certainly helps that their father went through everything that they’re going to experience now. But they’ve been encouraged by their parents, who have been divorced since 2014, to forge their own paths and that includes the journey of picking what’s next.
It’s easy to assume the Blue Devils have the upper hand in recruiting given their dad played in Durham. But that would be wrong.
Carlos Boozer’s freshman year at Duke in 1999-2000 he played alongside current assistant coach Chris Carrawell, who was a senior on that squad. Carrawell, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and assistant coach Jai Lucas were all seated together to watch the Boozer twins and Flagg face off at Peach Jam. But the twins said they don’t have some preexisting relationship with the staff.
“I don’t know them very well,” Cameron said. “But I know that just in general the coaching is amazing and the development they talked about, my father talked about it, my mom talked about it, it’s a real thing. They’re really going to take care of you.”
The twins toured Duke when they were in the fourth grade. Cayden said at that age it was just about seeing where their dad played and meeting some of his former teammates. They haven’t attended a lot of games at Cameron Indoor Stadium and haven’t been indoctrinated into thinking Duke or bust.
“I just want to be at a place where I can trust the coach and he trusts in my ability,” Cayden said. “It’s not a lock for Duke. I’m open to anything.”
So far, every school that has offered a scholarship — including Duke, Michigan, Miami and Florida State — has extended the offer to both players. But the twins aren’t presenting themselves as a package deal.
They both talk about fit at the next level and realize one school may not end up being the best place for both of their games. Cayden said it’s “not likely” that they’ll play together in college.
“I mean, obviously, it’d be amazing to go to the same school as my brother,” Cameron said. “But at the end of day, we’ve got to look at schools that just fit us both. So maybe it’s not going to be the same school for us and maybe we just got to wait until later down the line.”