ESPN just delivered a head-scratching moment that has Duke fans seeing red. During Saturday morning’s College GameDay broadcast from Lawrence, the panel conducted a blind ranking of the top five freshmen in college basketball. When Cameron Boozer’s name appeared, they inexplicably placed him third despite the top spot being wide open.
The decision defies logic when examining what the Duke freshman has accomplished this season. He leads the No. 4 Blue Devils in nearly every statistical category, posting 23.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while guiding his team to a 19-1 overall record and an undefeated ACC run.
The rankings that make no sense
ESPN’s panel ranked BYU’s AJ Dybantsa first and Houston’s Kingston Flemings second, placing Boozer behind both despite his superior overall numbers. The comparison becomes puzzling when you break down the statistics side by side.
Dybantsa has averaged 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. While he holds a slight edge in scoring with one-tenth of a point more per game, Boozer dominates him in every other major category. Boozer nearly triples Dybantsa’s rebounding output, collects more assists and steals, and even edges him slightly in blocks.
The gap between Boozer and Flemings is even wider. Flemings has averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. The Houston guard trails Boozer by six full points per game in scoring, gets crushed on the boards by more than six rebounds per game, and falls short in most other categories despite a slight edge in assists.
Schedule strength matters
The disrespect becomes more glaring when considering strength of schedule. Boozer has faced Duke’s incomparable slate of opponents, including eight ranked matchups through the time of the GameDay broadcast. The Blue Devils have navigated one of the toughest schedules in college basketball while maintaining their undefeated conference record.
By comparison, Houston had played five ranked opponents when the ranking was announced, while BYU was preparing to face its fifth ranked opponent in Kansas. Boozer has proven himself against better competition more frequently than either player ranked ahead of him.
Leading a winning program
Numbers tell only part of the story. Boozer is not just putting up impressive individual statistics while leading Duke to an elite record. The Blue Devils sit at 19-1 overall and have steamrolled through ACC competition without a loss. That level of success while carrying the statistical load demonstrates leadership and clutch performance that separates good players from great ones.
Duke’s success this season cannot be separated from Boozer’s contributions. When your freshman leads the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals while maintaining that production game after game, you are clearly the engine driving success.
Pattern of disrespect continues
This is not the first time Boozer has failed to receive proper recognition. Throughout the season, various rankings and awards conversations have somehow managed to overlook what he has accomplished despite overwhelming statistical evidence.
The snub on College GameDay represents just the latest example of analysts failing to properly acknowledge Boozer’s elite freshman campaign. Whether it is bias, preseason expectations favoring other players, or simply not watching enough Duke games, something is causing a disconnect between Boozer’s actual performance and how he is being evaluated nationally.
Making his case on the court
Fortunately for Boozer, he continues proving his worth where it matters most. Every time he steps on court, he demonstrates why he deserves consideration not just among the best freshmen but among the best players in college basketball regardless of class. The young Blue Devil star keeps piling up impressive performances that make ESPN’s ranking look more ridiculous with each passing game. While the media continues finding ways to undervalue his contributions, Boozer lets his play do the talking.
