After sweeping nearly every major college basketball award, Cameron Boozer now faces the one question that matters most: will NBA teams see him as the No. 1 pick?

On Friday, Boozer added the prestigious John R. Wooden Award to a résumé that already includes AP, Naismith and Sporting News Player of the Year honors. So where does he stand in the No. 1 pick conversation?

“There are a lot of great candidates, for sure. Some of them are here,” Boozer told EssentiallySports. “But what I think separates me is my competitiveness and my winning. It’s my willingness to do whatever it takes to win.”

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Various talent evaluators told EssentiallySports before the NCAA tournament that Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa are currently viewed as frontrunners for the No. 1 pick. But they also stressed they wouldn’t be surprised if Boozer climbed to No. 1, thanks to his two-way versatility during his freshman season at Duke.

Speaking to EssentiallySports and a small group of reporters at the Los Angeles Athletic Club before the ceremony, Boozer reflected on his journey and what separates him. Among the key talking points: Boozer’s outlook on becoming the No. 1 pick, recovering from Duke’s loss to Connecticut in the Elite 8 and having the chance to become the eighth Duke player to win the Wooden Award. Boozer also talked about his father, Carlos, who carved out a 13-year NBA career.

Editor’s note: The first seven questions and answers were part of an EssentiallySports exclusive. The rest of the interview took place with a small group of reporters before the ceremony.

What does it mean to be out here for the Wooden Award?

Boozer: “It’s been great. I’m being around great players. Everyone has had a phenomenal year. There are legends here that played back in the day. We have some great coaches. It’s been a great experience overall.”

How has everything gone with your recovery since the tournament?

Boozer: “It’s been all right. I’m over the loss. But it’s been all right.”

What’s enabled you to be resilient with that?

 Boozer: “Just with being a competitor. I want to go get the win. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. But it was something that you just have to put in the back of your mind.”

What’s the key to have that mindset?

 Boozer: “I think it’s the coaching and the people around me my whole life. I’ve been surrounded by some great coaches. My Dad played in the NBA. I’ve been with some great trainers. So it’s about having the mindset to go out and try to win every night. That’s the biggest thing for me.”

You’ve had a great season and evaluators have praised your game. But what is your case to be the No. 1 pick?

 Boozer: “There are a lot of great candidates, for sure. Some of them are here. But what I think separates me is my competitiveness and my winning. It’s my willingness to do whatever it takes to win.”

What has gone into you having a balanced game on both sides of the floor?

 Boozer: “It’s about being versatile. Because of my size, I can do a lot of things on the court. I can handle. I can pass. I can post up. I can guard one through five. I think the versatility is the biggest thing.”

How has your pop’s influence shaped you over the years?

 Boozer: “It’s been great. It’s just been about being around the NBA. As a kid, you grow up and fall in love with the game. That has been the biggest influence.”

So many Duke players have won this award. How much did you watch those players?

Boozer: “I didn’t watch a ton of them because a lot of them played back in the day. But I remember watching Zion [Williamson] and watching Paolo [Banchero]. I even watched a little bit of [Jayson] Tatum. It’s exciting to watch a lot of the young guys at Duke. They have a lot of young talent and a lot of great players in the NBA. So to be able to win with a lot of those great Duke players is a great feeling, for sure.”

Have you heard from any of the Duke legends?

Boozer: “Tatum is our CBO so he comes and talks to us every now and then. We have a thing called a ‘Brotherhood’ where a bunch of players come back. We definitely see them from time to time.”

How do you prepare ahead of the NBA Draft?

Boozer: “It’s exciting. This was a lot of our dreams with growing up and watching it. We worked for this our whole lives. It’s exciting, for sure. But it takes a lot of work after the Draft to stay in the league and to be a great player for a long time.”

When asked about potentially sharing the floor with superstars like Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boozer didn’t hold back.

If you had an opportunity to play with Victor Wembanyama or Giannis [Antetokounmpo], what comes to mind with their games that resonate with you?

Boozer: “Victor is 7’4 and has defensive versatility. He’s elite. I think he’s growing as an offensive player year by year. The way he impacts the game defensively, he can also be a guy that can become one of the best offensive players in the league. He’s already on that track and will be special for a long time. Giannis’ physicality and athleticism at that size is special. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that.”

Who do you look up to in the league that you want to model your game after?

Boozer: “There are a lot of different guys. There’s Anthony Davis, Giannis, Paolo and LaMelo [Ball]. You watch a bunch of different guys. It’s not just one guy. You just take from a lot of different people.”

How important is it you on where you’re drafted and what number you’re picked at?

Boozer: “It doesn’t matter to me at all. That’s just the beginning. Whether you’re one, two or 30 or 35, that’s just the beginning. For me, it’s more about where I am in 10 to 15 years than where I am on the first night.”

What advice has your Dad given you about this journey?

 Boozer: “Just be where your feet are and enjoy the moment. Those are the biggest things.”

In light of being at the Wooden Awards, what does John Wooden mean to you?

Boozer: “He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time in college basketball. He coached Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the best players of all time. I think just being able to here, it’s an honor for sure. It’s special. I’m considered one of the four best players in the country. So it’s a great feeling.”

What would it mean to sweep the awards?

Boozer: “It would be a great feeling. I think it speaks to the success that our team has this year. We had a great season. Obviously, it’s an individual award. But I wouldn’t be here without them. They made me look good. I’m going to be super thankful for it.”

What did the brotherhood at Duke mean to you?

 Boozer: “The brotherhood runs deep. That’s something you only feel when you’re in it. But with the amount of players that we have in the league, we can reach out to them. It’s a special thing.”

Mark Medina is an NBA insider for EssentiallySports. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.