While the Duke Blue Devils have climbed back to the top of college basketball, it’s the statistical dominance of one freshman that is truly rewriting the 2026 NBA Draft board.

Duke reclaimed its number 1 spot in the top 25 AP poll rankings after the win over the Houston Cougars. Head coach Jon Scheyer has leaned heavily on Cameron Boozer’s talent this season. And the freshman finds himself in rare company as he is in the running to be the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

College basketball analyst Nick Bateman has revealed that Cameron Boozer tops the Win Shares list, according to CBB Analytics. With a 7.5 WS, the freshman is in a league of his own in this metric. To add to this, his shooting efficiency and variety have propelled him into the first pick debate alongside another star freshman, AJ Dybantsa.

Win Shares is a basketball metric that calculates how much a player contributes to the team’s results. In Boozer’s case, Duke would not have won 7.5 of its 25 games without the 18-year-old. Also, Boozer ranks in the 80th percentile and higher on 8 of his plays on the court, highlighting his production and creative bag ahead of the NBA Draft.

While the debate around Darryn Peterson not deserving the top projection grows louder, Cameron Boozer continues to impress, propelling Duke to a 25-2 record with his offensive output.

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A dominant performance in the early January win over Louisville earned similar praise from their head coach, Pat Kelsey. “With 12 [Cameron Boozer] setting pick-and-rolls, he’s obviously going to be the No. 1 pick in the draft for a reason,” Kelsey said. “He leads them in scoring, rebounding, assists, and even steals. He’s a terrific passer, pick-and-roll.”

The 18-year-old is the only freshman in the last 25 years to average at least 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Boozer’s limitless potential has not gone unnoticed by his head coach, Jon Scheyer.

Jon Scheyer recognizes Cameron Boozer’s clutch ability

While Jon Scheyer continues to work wonders at Duke, he has had massive help from freshman Cameron Boozer. The Duke head coach was full of praise for his ability to produce top-level performances consistently, regardless of the opponent.

“I just think he’s wired for it. He lives it. He absolutely is,” Jon Scheyer told the press ahead of their game against Notre Dame. “He’s incredibly prepared, going to the games of understanding the different coverages he can see. I mean, we’ve seen so many different defenses, whether it’s doubles or single coverage or heavy plugs, whatever it is. I credit his preparation. I credit the fact that he just lives it, you know, every, every single day.”

Cameron Boozer’s consistency is stunning. The 18-year-old has recorded double-digit scoring displays in every appearance for Duke so far. In fact, the freshman forward has 15 double-doubles in just 27 games so far this season.

For a player displaying such a high level of basketball, Boozer also has an underlying hunger to improve continuously. The Duke freshman has upped his efficiency from behind the arc and is shooting nearly 46% in his last 10 games, an improvement on his overall season percentage.

With Duke grabbing the top spot in the top 25 AP poll rankings, Cameron Boozer and Jon Scheyer could take Duke all the way to the NCAA Championship game.