Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #7 UConn on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 72, to, 73
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Final
Men's Basketball
72
vs #7 UConn
73
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Boozer Becomes First to Sweep NABC Player, Big Man and Freshman of the Year Honors
3/31/2026 11:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
KANSAS CITY — Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer has been named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I Player of the Year, while also earning the NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year and NABC Freshman of the Year honors, the organization announced Tuesday.
Boozer becomes the first player to sweep all three NABC national awards in the same season, capping one of the most decorated freshman campaigns in college basketball history.
A native of Miami, Florida, Boozer adds the NABC recognition to a growing list of national accolades, having also been named National Player of the Year by The Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, while earning ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
Boozer is the eighth Blue Devil to be named NABC National Player of the Year, more than any other school in the country, and the fifth to earn National Freshman of the Year distinction from the coaches association.
The freshman forward led Duke in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field. He started all 38 contests, totaling 855 points, 389 rebounds and 157 assists.
Boozer's season was defined by remarkable consistency and historic production. He recorded at least 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in every game, the longest such streak by any Division I player (men's or women's) this century.
He is the first freshman or sophomore to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a season since Larry Bird in 1976-77, and the only Division I player in the last 30 years to total 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists while shooting at least 50% from the field in a single regular season.
Boozer's impact extended beyond traditional statistics. He finished atop the KenPom Player of the Year rankings with a 2.942 rating, the highest since the system's current format was introduced in 2013, and led the EvanMiya Player Performance Rankings with a 14.44 mark, the best recorded since 2010.
The forward tied as the national leader with 22 double-doubles, just the second Duke freshman to record 22 double-doubles in a season, while ranking ninth in the nation in scoring and 12th in rebounding. He also set the Duke freshman records for rebounds (389) and free throws made (221), while finishing second in program history for freshman scoring with 855 points.
Boozer tallied 13 games of 25 or more points, including two 35-point performances. He also led all players in points, rebounds and assists in seven games, the most by an ACC player in a season over the last 30 years.
During the course of the season, Boozer earned ACC Player of the Week honors five times and ACC Rookie of the Week recognition 10 times, sweeping both awards on five occasions, a feat matched by only one other player in league history, Duke's Cooper Flagg in the 2024-25 campaign.
With his national honors, Boozer becomes the 13th different Blue Devil to earn National Player of the Year recognition and the 10th to be named National Player of the Year by multiple outlets in the same season.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMBB".
#GoDuke
MOST NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS (AP, Naismith, NABC, Sporting News, USBWA, Wooden)
Duke, 50
UCLA, 29
North Carolina, 23
Purdue, 18
Virginia, 14
Ohio State, 13
Cincinnati, 11
Indiana, 11
Kansas, 11
Kentucky, 11
Oklahoma, 11
MOST WINNERS OF THE NABC NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Duke, 8
Kansas, 4
North Carolina, 4
Boozer becomes the first player to sweep all three NABC national awards in the same season, capping one of the most decorated freshman campaigns in college basketball history.
A native of Miami, Florida, Boozer adds the NABC recognition to a growing list of national accolades, having also been named National Player of the Year by The Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, while earning ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
Boozer is the eighth Blue Devil to be named NABC National Player of the Year, more than any other school in the country, and the fifth to earn National Freshman of the Year distinction from the coaches association.
The freshman forward led Duke in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field. He started all 38 contests, totaling 855 points, 389 rebounds and 157 assists.
Boozer's season was defined by remarkable consistency and historic production. He recorded at least 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in every game, the longest such streak by any Division I player (men's or women's) this century.
He is the first freshman or sophomore to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a season since Larry Bird in 1976-77, and the only Division I player in the last 30 years to total 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists while shooting at least 50% from the field in a single regular season.
Boozer's impact extended beyond traditional statistics. He finished atop the KenPom Player of the Year rankings with a 2.942 rating, the highest since the system's current format was introduced in 2013, and led the EvanMiya Player Performance Rankings with a 14.44 mark, the best recorded since 2010.
The forward tied as the national leader with 22 double-doubles, just the second Duke freshman to record 22 double-doubles in a season, while ranking ninth in the nation in scoring and 12th in rebounding. He also set the Duke freshman records for rebounds (389) and free throws made (221), while finishing second in program history for freshman scoring with 855 points.
Boozer tallied 13 games of 25 or more points, including two 35-point performances. He also led all players in points, rebounds and assists in seven games, the most by an ACC player in a season over the last 30 years.
During the course of the season, Boozer earned ACC Player of the Week honors five times and ACC Rookie of the Week recognition 10 times, sweeping both awards on five occasions, a feat matched by only one other player in league history, Duke's Cooper Flagg in the 2024-25 campaign.
With his national honors, Boozer becomes the 13th different Blue Devil to earn National Player of the Year recognition and the 10th to be named National Player of the Year by multiple outlets in the same season.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMBB".
#GoDuke
MOST NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS (AP, Naismith, NABC, Sporting News, USBWA, Wooden)
Duke, 50
UCLA, 29
North Carolina, 23
Purdue, 18
Virginia, 14
Ohio State, 13
Cincinnati, 11
Indiana, 11
Kansas, 11
Kentucky, 11
Oklahoma, 11
MOST WINNERS OF THE NABC NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Duke, 8
Kansas, 4
North Carolina, 4
Players Mentioned
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