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 Adds Naismith Trophy to Historic Freshman Season at Duke
4/5/2026 2:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS – Duke freshman Cameron Boozer is the winner of the 2026 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy as the most outstanding player in men's college basketball, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Sunday.
With Boozer's selection, Duke now owns a record 10 Naismith Trophy winners, the most of any program since the award's inception in 1969, joining former Blue Devils Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992), Danny Ferry (1989) and Johnny Dawkins (1986).
Boozer is just the fifth freshman to win the Naismith Trophy and the third from Duke, following Flagg and Williamson. The other freshman recipients are Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2012) and Kevin Durant (Texas, 2007).
With the Naismith honor, Boozer has now been named National Player of the Year by six organizations, adding to accolades from the Associated Press, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), The Sporting News and CollegeInsider.com. He also swept ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors and was named ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Boozer is Duke's 26th consensus first-team All-American since 1949, the most of any program in that span.
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 Miami, Florida native tied for the national lead with 22 double-doubles and became just the second Duke freshman to reach that total in a season. He ranked ninth nationally in scoring and 12th in rebounding, while setting Duke freshman records for rebounds (389) and free throws made (221). His 855 points rank second in program history for a freshman.
Boozer produced 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.
Over 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 (2024-25).
With his national honors, Boozer becomes the 13th different Blue Devil to earn National Player of the Year recognition and the 10th to do so from multiple outlets in the same season.
Boozer is also the recipient of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the second Blue Devil to earn the honor, joining Williamson (2019).
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, 52
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 NAISMITH TROPHY
Duke, 10
UCLA, 5
North Carolina, Virginia and Purdue, 3
With Boozer's selection, Duke now owns a record 10 Naismith Trophy winners, the most of any program since the award's inception in 1969, joining former Blue Devils Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992), Danny Ferry (1989) and Johnny Dawkins (1986).
Boozer is just the fifth freshman to win the Naismith Trophy and the third from Duke, following Flagg and Williamson. The other freshman recipients are Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2012) and Kevin Durant (Texas, 2007).
With the Naismith honor, Boozer has now been named National Player of the Year by six organizations, adding to accolades from the Associated Press, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), The Sporting News and CollegeInsider.com. He also swept ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors and was named ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Boozer is Duke's 26th consensus first-team All-American since 1949, the most of any program in that span.
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 Miami, Florida native tied for the national lead with 22 double-doubles and became just the second Duke freshman to reach that total in a season. He ranked ninth nationally in scoring and 12th in rebounding, while setting Duke freshman records for rebounds (389) and free throws made (221). His 855 points rank second in program history for a freshman.
Boozer produced 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.
Over 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 (2024-25).
With his national honors, Boozer becomes the 13th different Blue Devil to earn National Player of the Year recognition and the 10th to do so from multiple outlets in the same season.
Boozer is also the recipient of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the second Blue Devil to earn the honor, joining Williamson (2019).
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, 52
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 NAISMITH TROPHY
Duke, 10
UCLA, 5
North Carolina, Virginia and Purdue, 3
Players Mentioned
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