Comparisons are unavoidable in college basketball, especially at a blue-blood program where stars rarely stay long enough to escape the spotlight. Last season, that spotlight belonged to Cooper Flagg, the electrifying phenom who arrived at Duke as the most hyped freshman in America. This season, it has shifted to Cameron Boozer, a player who arrived with different expectations but an equally thunderous résumé. For months, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer tried to calm the noise, insisting that Boozer and Flagg were separate stories rather than mirrors of one another.
But Tuesday night changed everything.
In a dramatic 67–66 victory over Florida, Cameron Boozer didn’t just play well—he authored a performance that rewrote the Duke freshman record books and carved out a feat that even Cooper Flagg never reached during his unforgettable year in Durham. With 39 points on 10-for-21 shooting, six rebounds, and the most important assist of the night, Boozer stamped his name into Duke lore, whether the coaching staff wanted comparisons or not.
Because now, the comparisons aren’t opinions.
They’re numbers.
And the numbers are stunning.
A New Duke Freshman Record—One Cooper Flagg Never Touched
Boozer’s 39-point eruption pushed him to 90 total points across his last three games. According to ESPN Insights, that total is the most by any Duke freshman in a three-game span—ever. Not Zion Williamson, not Marvin Bagley, not Brandon Ingram, not Jahlil Okafor.
Not even Cooper Flagg.
That is not a small footnote.
That is a line drawn boldly in the freshman history books.
When it comes to pure scoring momentum over a three-game stretch, Boozer now sits alone—something Flagg, despite all of last year’s highlight reels and NBA-ready defensive instincts, never did. The freshman record Boozer now holds is not one that can be inflated by minutes, pace, or style; it is a number that reflects one of the most dominant bursts of offensive firepower any Duke newcomer has ever delivered.
And the truth is, it isn’t just the points that matter.
It’s the way he’s doing it.
Efficiency That Shouldn’t Be Possible for an 18-Year-Old
The modern game demands versatility, efficiency, and adaptability—traits freshmen often lack because high-school dominance rarely translates immediately to the ACC level. But Boozer is operating like a seasoned professional.
Across this three-game tear, he has eclipsed 70 percent shooting in two separate contests. That kind of consistency is rare for a freshman big. It’s unheard of for a freshman who serves as his team’s No. 1 scoring option and receives the kind of defensive attention Boozer sees every possession.
His 6’9″ frame allows him to bully smaller forwards, but his footwork is what makes him special. Boozer plays with a calm, controlled tempo—never rushed, never panicked. He reads doubles early, attacks mismatches instantly, and uses angles like someone who has already spent years in the NBA system.
If Cooper Flagg dazzled with unpredictability and defensive electricity, Boozer is dominating with patience, polish, and a scoring package that is smoother than anyone expected from a first-year player.
The NBA Pedigree No One Can Ignore
Part of the fascination surrounding Cameron Boozer is the lineage. His father, Carlos Boozer, was a two-time NBA All-Star and Duke legend, a player who carved out a long professional career with technique and toughness. The younger Boozer grew up around film rooms, weight rooms, and locker rooms. He arrived not only with talent—but with preparation.
And it shows.
He understands how to influence the game without forcing shots. Even in a performance where he scored 39, Boozer made the pass that truly defined the outcome: a perfectly timed assist that set up Isaiah Evans’ go-ahead three with 21 seconds remaining.
It was a senior’s play, made by a teenager.
The contrast to Flagg is fascinating. Flagg’s impact last year often came from his ability to blow up plays defensively. Boozer’s impact comes from dictating the entire offensive structure. It is a leadership style that is calmer, less chaotic, but equally dominant.
No matter how much Scheyer tries to downplay comparisons, Boozer is constructing his own narrative—and it is impossible to look away.
Duke Is 9–0—and Boozer Is Carrying the Load
There are talented players across this Duke roster. Evans, McCain, Foster, Stewart—there are weapons everywhere. But in moments where Scheyer needs stability, he turns to Boozer. A freshman leading a blue-blood program is nothing new. A freshman doing this with such efficiency is.
Even opposing coaches admit it: Boozer is the anchor.
Duke’s perfect record (9–0) reflects more than just highlights. It reflects Boozer’s ability to carry an offensive load without breaking down, forcing shots, or losing composure. It reflects a freshman who doesn’t look like a freshman at all.
The ACC is waiting.
The nation is watching.
And NBA scouts are already circling.
Pressure Doesn’t Touch Him—And That’s the Scariest Part
The big question surrounding elite prospects is always the same:
How will they react when the lights get brighter?
For Boozer, the answer is becoming clearer every night. Pressure does not speed him up. It doesn’t rattle him. It doesn’t shift his routine.
Part of that is pedigree. Part of it is personality. But a big part of it is preparation: Boozer did not arrive at Duke to experience college basketball—he arrived to conquer it.
And with every milestone, he gets closer to doing exactly that.
The Cooper Flagg Question: Has Boozer Already Surpassed Him as a Freshman?
Fair or unfair, the debate will grow. Flagg’s defensive ceiling remains generational, and his first year in the NBA already suggests he was everything scouts imagined. But head-to-head in terms of Duke accomplishments?
Boozer now owns a record Flagg never touched.
Boozer now carries an undefeated team Flagg never had.
Boozer now feels less like a freshman and more like a franchise.
Does that mean Boozer is better?
Depends who you ask.
But Tuesday night changed the conversation.
And Then Comes Michigan State
If Boozer’s record-setting stretch had happened against mid-majors, critics would shrug. But Florida is no pushover. Arkansas is physical. Howard is scrappy. The tests are real, and Boozer passed all three with dominance.
Now Duke heads to East Lansing to face Michigan State—an 8–0 squad with toughness, discipline, and one of the toughest home crowds in the country. It is the kind of game that magnifies weaknesses and exposes pretenders.
But Duke doesn’t look like a team with weaknesses right now.
And Boozer doesn’t look like a pretender.
He looks like the best freshman in America.
The Legacy Question
Freshmen only get one opportunity.
One season.
One chance to define their college legacy.
Flagg defined his through defensive brilliance and NBA-ready intensity. Boozer is defining his through elite scoring, efficiency, and calm control of winning moments.
The best legacies are not built through comparisons, but through moments that become impossible to ignore. Boozer’s 39-point night was one of those moments. His three-game scoring record is one of those milestones. The win over Florida was one of those tests.
And if this continues, Cameron Boozer won’t simply be the next Duke star—
he will be the next Duke legend.
The freshman debate?
It was fun while it lasted.
But after Tuesday night, the question has changed:
Is Cameron Boozer already writing the best freshman season Duke has seen in years?
If the last three games are any indication, the answer is closer to “yes” than anyone expected.
