On Saturday, the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils faced off against Virginia in the ACC Championship game, rolling out its swath of NBA Draft prospects in the process.
Cameron Boozer has gained some small steam as the potential No. 1 pick of late, largely due to his consistent domination. Darryn Peterson has seen a tough, inefficient stretch to end the regular season and in the Big 12 tournament for Kansas. And while Dybantsa has been phenomenal scoring the ball, there are certainly still questions regarding defense and play-making.
That’s allowed Boozer, the newly-named ACC Player of the Year, to thrust his winning impact into the spotlight.
That spotlight shone bright on Saturday night as the ACC’s top two teams faced off for all the conference marbles, though Boozer struggled for most of the night.
The Blue Devils would see a four-point win — earning a second-straight ACC Championship win — though Boozer would see one of his least efficient outings. He shot just 3-for-17 overall, adding 13 total points on 1-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Boozer would still manage to add eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal. He would struggle mightily to deal with Virginia’s size on the interior, most notably seven-footer Ugonna Onyenso who would finish with nine blocks.
The first half was especially tough on Boozer, as he had just two points on one made field goal.
With just over a minute left in the game, Boozer had a chance to make it a two possession game at the line, but missed both, allowing Virginia to stick in it. He’d also see a paint try with just seconds left to do the same, though would miss and grab his own rebound.
The offensive board, at least, would eventually help to seal the game, helping Isaiah Evans to find the line and put the game out of reach. Boozer himself would also have another chance at the line, this time hitting both.
Boozer has more than enough dominance on tape to still be considered the top pick by some NBA franchises. Through 33 games with the Blue Devils, he’s averaged 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 42% overall and 78% from the line.
His case will be his cerebral style, processing and versatility, be it on offense or defense. Doubters will point to stiffer athleticism, though that’s had little effect on his chances in college.
Dybantsa and Peterson are still projected per most pundits to be the top two picks.
Duke is certain to earn a No. 1 seed on selection Sunday, and will be one of a handful of teams with real odds at winning the championship, along with teams like Michigan, Arizona and more. It will be one final chance for prospects to raise their stock ahead of what should be a fun and talent-laden 2026 NBA Draft.
