Duke’s loss to UConn in the men’s Elite Eight last Sunday was an epic choke by any standard, but it was certainly not the fault of Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer.
In what may have been his final college game, Boozer put up 27 points on 10-for-21 shooting while pulling down eight rebounds and four assists. That capped a season that saw him average 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game en route to the Naismith Award as the best player in men’s college basketball.
As the college hoops-adjacent world prepares to turn its attention to the NBA draft, Boozer surprised fans and observers Sunday by revealing he was injured against the Huskies.
Specifically, per Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer, Boozer received “a couple of fractures” around his eye.
In his freshman year, Boozer proved exceptionally durable, finishing seventh in the ACC in minutes played per game (and first in minutes played overall). Duke went 35–3, capturing the No. 1 overall seed and advancing to the Elite Eight before its instant-classic loss to UConn.
Boozer’s injury appears minor relative to some of his potential draft peers
The Miami-area native has all the makings of a potential top-five draft pick—and while his injury obviously isn’t good news, it appears minor compared to two of his most notable peers.
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson will likely be the biggest injury-related question mark in the 2026 draft. Peterson shuttled in and out of the Jayhawks’ lineup all season long with various ailments, including an ankle injury, cramps and a hamstring injury. If healthy, however, he has a chance to go No. 1 overall.
The other wild card is North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, who fractured his left hand against Miami in February and then broke his thumb dunking in practice. The latter injury brought a premature end to an season that ended with an All-America selection.
Cameron will try to carry on his father’s NBA legacy
The 2020s have seen an onslaught of second-generation NBA players, of which Cameron surely ranks among the best. His father, Carlos Boozer, played three years as a center for the Blue Devils—winning a national title in 2001 and making the All-ACC team in 2002.
The Cavaliers drafted Carlos in the second round in 2002, and he outperformed expectations by making two All-Star teams and an All-NBA team in 2007 and 2008 with the Jazz. He later played three seasons with the Bulls and one with the Lakers before retiring.
Cameron’s twin brother, Cayden, played for Duke this year as well. The guard made the All-ACC Tournament and All-East Region teams, averaging 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and three assists per game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cameron Boozer Reveals Injury He Received in Duke’s Season-Ending Loss to UConn.
