The Memphis Grizzlies took another step toward their next era Tuesday night with the selection of Duke forward Cameron Boozer at No. 3 in the NBA draft.
"I don't even know how to describe it, honestly," Boozer told ESPN's Lisa Salters shortly after his selection. "It's crazy. Instant happiness. Instant joy. Basically, my whole life in a couple of seconds, so it's amazing for sure."
The Grizzlies also entered the night with two more picks in the top 32 of the draft. They were slated to select at No. 16 but moved back to No. 17 and then No. 21, selecting Karim Lopez of the New Zealand Breakers and accumulating five second-round picks in the process. They still hold the second pick of the second round (No. 32 overall).
"The group of young players that we already have, coupled with having as many first-round assets as nearly anyone in the league, it's gonna speak for itself soon," general manager Zach Kleiman said in the lead-up to the draft.
Memphis needs Boozer's play to resonate loudly this upcoming season as the Grizzlies continue yet another personnel reset that started in earnest back in 2025, when the club fired longtime coach Taylor Jenkins less than a month before the start of the playoffs. The addition of Boozer alongside young up-and-comers Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey could accelerate the club's rebuild faster than expected.
"I think we're going to surprise a lot of people this year," Boozer said.
Boozer's selection marked the second time that Memphis made the third pick in the NBA draft. The club selected Shareef Abdur-Rahim at No. 3 in 1996.
Memphis made moves Tuesday night by sending the draft rights to Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the rights to Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie at No. 17 and two second-round picks. The Grizzlies then flipped Okorie's rights to the Detroit Pistons for Lopez at No. 21 and three more second-rounders.
Boozer is widely considered the most NBA-ready player of this year's draft class, having led college basketball in his lone season at Duke with a 17.1 box plus-minus score. He shot 39.1% from 3, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals as a dominant, versatile force for the Blue Devils. The 18-year-old, who will turn 19 in July, almost instantly improves Memphis' spacing while providing a secondary option to Coward as a facilitator.
The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and the unanimous player of the year in college basketball, Boozer could pair with Edey to form a bruising frontcourt, provided the latter is healthy after undergoing another surgery in March on his left ankle. Boozer already possesses a reliable deep shot that will be an asset on the perimeter in the unconventional offense of coach Tuomas Iisalo, but he also has a natural feel for the game that should transfer well in the NBA, as well as the ability to serve as an offensive hub.
On the defensive end, Boozer lacks ideal size, mobility and verticality, but the physicality and leadership ability traits are there. Boozer appears to be an ideal fit for the culture Memphis is looking to build as it attempts to move on from star guard Ja Morant, whose future remains uncertain.
The Grizzlies likely won't be able to trade Morant until later in the summer after free agency.
