Cameron Boozer Rises to No. 2: Jazz Pick Decision, Duke Stats and 2026 NBA Draft Odds

Cameron Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals across 38 games at Duke this season, won the Naismith Men's Player of the Year, and posted a 17.8 box plus-minus that is the highest by a college freshman since Zion Williamson in 2018-19. Four days from the 2026 NBA Draft, CBS Sports' latest mock now slots Boozer at No. 2 to the Utah Jazz, ahead of Darryn Peterson, in a swap that reorders the top of the board for the first time in two months. The FanDuel No. 1 market still has AJ Dybantsa at -280, Peterson at +230, and Boozer at +1100, per the prior Wizards-Jazz cycle reporting, but the CBS slot move puts the cleanest decision pressure on the Jazz front office.

The Jazz hold the No. 2 selection after the May lottery. Utah has been linked all cycle to Dybantsa via wing-fit logic, but the Lauri Markkanen plus Walker Kessler plus Keyonte George core is the cleanest fit for a positional-versatility big like Boozer. The CBS Sports board reflects what front-office sources told Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor over the last 72 hours: Boozer's package of post-up scoring, transition rim runs, and a 39 percent three-point stroke is the safest top-three bet in the class.

The Boozer Numbers That Drove the Board Move

Boozer's full freshman line under Jon Scheyer was 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from three on 138 attempts (3.6 attempts per game), and 78.9 percent from the foul line, per Duke's official roster. The 17.8 box plus-minus is the highest single-season figure by a college freshman since Williamson at Duke seven years ago.

Three numbers the Jazz front office is weighing this week:

1. 22.5 points per game on 55.6 percent from the field, the most efficient scoring line by a Duke freshman in the Scheyer era. 2. 39.0 percent from three on 3.6 attempts per game, the threshold number for a power forward to project as a five-out spacer at the next level. 3. 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, the rebounding and defensive activity that anchor a Markkanen-plus-Boozer-plus-Kessler frontcourt without overlapping responsibilities.

The 6-foot-9, 235-pound listed frame (combine measurements came in at 6-8.25 barefoot and 252.8 pounds) projects as a small-ball five in stretches and a true four next to a rim protector. The Jazz already have the rim protector in Kessler. The Boozer plus Markkanen frontcourt fit is the cleanest two-way pairing on the Utah depth chart.

Why CBS Moved Boozer Above Peterson

The Peterson camp shut down the rest of the pre-draft circuit this week and worked out only for the Wizards, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo. That gambit, covered in detail in our Darryn Peterson Wizards-only workout breakdown, reads as a signal that the Kansas guard expects Washington at No. 1 and would prefer Memphis at No. 3 to Utah at No. 2.

CBS Sports' Kyle Boone wrote Wednesday that Utah team sources have softened on Peterson over the past two weeks. The reasoning is positional: the Jazz already start Keyonte George at point guard, have Cody Williams on the wing, and the depth chart's cleanest open slot is at the four next to Markkanen. Boozer files into that slot. Peterson does not.

The other variable is medical. Peterson missed roughly 11 games at Kansas across hamstring, ankle, cramping, and illness diagnoses, per CBS Sports. Boozer played all 38 games at Duke. Front offices have flagged Peterson's freshman availability rate as a yellow flag in the top six.

The Boozer Scouting Report

Boozer is a do-it-all offensive talent who can post up, run pick-and-rolls, set screens, spot up, and crash the offensive boards. His footwork in the lane is among the most polished in any recent draft class, and the 39 percent three-point stroke at 3.6 attempts per game gives him a five-out spacer profile that matters in the modern NBA. The defensive ceiling is the open question: he projects as a switchable four but rarely guarded perimeter players one-on-one in Scheyer's drop-coverage scheme, which leaves the league-level read on his lateral quickness for summer league.

The honest comparison is a smaller, more skilled Domantas Sabonis with a real three-point shot. The pessimistic floor is a 17-point, 8-rebound starting four on a playoff team. Neither is the worst No. 2 outcome.

Betting Impact and the Draft Markets

The FanDuel No. 1 market still has Dybantsa at -280, Peterson at +230, and Boozer at +1100, the cleanest mispricing on the draft board if you read the CBS move as a signal the Wizards have any hesitation on Dybantsa. The No. 2 market has Boozer compressing toward the favorite slot.

Rookie of the Year markets carry Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer at the top, with Caleb Wilson and Mikel Brown chasing. Numbers shift through draft night based on landing spot, so the cleanest ROY price action waits for the actual picks Tuesday before locking in a wager. A Boozer-to-Sacramento or Boozer-to-Utah landing spot keeps his rookie usage rate inside the 22-to-25 percent range that historically supports ROY contention.

The trade-up market is the secondary swing. Front-office reporting in Bleacher Report suggests Charlotte has explored a move into the top three with Boozer specifically as the target. If Charlotte moves up to No. 2 and Utah slides back, the Boozer landing spot probability redistributes toward the Hornets and Jazz both inside a 30-to-60 percent range.

What to Watch Next

The Jazz host Boozer for a final workout this weekend per ESPN. The Wizards close their pre-draft circuit Friday in Las Vegas with a second Dybantsa session. Cameron Boozer is in Washington over the weekend for the Wizards' courtesy meeting, which is the leverage signal: if Washington asks for a second Boozer session, the No. 1 market needs an immediate move. The draft is Tuesday June 23 at Barclays Center, with lottery-team press availabilities scheduled Sunday and Monday.

Chad AI tracks every NBA Draft prop, rookie futures line, and Summer League projection inside the StatSniper app. The NBA daily picks page updates with draft slate exposure as boards firm. For the broader top-of-the-board picture, the 2026 NBA Draft preview with Dybantsa at -280 covers the top 14 and the case for each lottery player.

College stats sourced from Duke Athletics and ESPN. Mock draft slot from CBS Sports. Peterson workout reporting via ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo.

If you wager on the draft, treat the No. 1 and No. 2 markets as the cleanest singles on the board and avoid the late-first-round prop layers where information asymmetry is highest. Responsible gambling resources are available at 1-800-GAMBLER.