Cayden and Cameron Boozer, twin sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, are set to make their extremely anticipated school debut at Duke this fall. The South Florida natives, each prime recruits within the 2025 class, had been on the Nike Hoop Summit final month to showcase their video games with the opposite prime highschool and worldwide prospects throughout the globe in Portland, Oregon.
Cayden, a stoic playmaking flooring basic, emphasised his courtroom imaginative and prescient and movie examine habits whereas Cameron, a flexible ahead who fashions his recreation after Jayson Tatum and Paolo Banchero, talked about embracing the trendy recreation whereas staying grounded in classes from their father.
In a dialog with HoopsHype, the twins opened up about staying within the second, dealing with adversity, changing into the following nice Duke duo, and extra.
Cayden Boozer: I imply, it’s nice. Having somebody that you could belief it doesn’t matter what is actually good being inside these experiences, as a result of, I imply, the adversity of all these camps is fairly tough. So having anyone you’ll be able to at all times know you’ll be able to speak to and simply belief on the courtroom, it makes the sport loads simpler.
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Cayden: I imply, undoubtedly, as a result of I used to be at all times smaller than him once I was youthful. I used to be really simply actually small basically till sixth grade – I had a seven-inch progress spurt. I went from 5-foot-3 to 5-foot-10, after which I began rising after that. However we at all times knew we had completely different play kinds and we knew how you can play with one another as a result of our play kinds had been so completely different. Since our play kinds weren’t tremendous comparable, it didn’t have an effect on the opposite gamers. So it made the sport loads simpler.
Cayden: Jamal Murray, Shai, Jalen Brunson, Devin Booker – simply the very best guards. I’m simply attempting to steal from everybody, even Jrue Vacation, a extremely good defender. Simply attempting to steal from everybody slightly bit, however be the very best model of myself. On the finish of the day, I wanna be the primary Cayden Boozer, not the upcoming of anyone else. So simply attempting to steal from all of the greats.
Cayden: I’ve at all times been some extent guard the place I’m making reads for my teammates. Clearly, as I’m getting older, I’m gonna be taking part in with a whole lot of good gamers within the league. If I’m taking part in with a star, I’m gonna have to have the ability to catch-and-shoot and mess around these guys. So I’m attempting to do each, however I’ve at all times performed on ball. Regardless of the workforce wants me to do, I’m blissful to do.
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Cayden: Simply how I management the sport. It’s a ability to manage the sport. A whole lot of level guards, particularly once they’re younger, have a whole lot of turnovers. I really feel like my entire highschool profession, I actually haven’t had that many turnovers. And my assist-to-turnover ratio has been actually excessive. So I really feel like that’s one thing that’s been underrated for me.
Cayden: It took time. It took time. I imply, sophomore yr I had a recreation towards Imhotep (HS) the place I’ve needed to undergo these struggles. And clearly being some extent guard at this degree, it’s laborious. There are a whole lot of different good guards that you just’re attempting to compete with and simply attempt to separate your self from them. So I knew I used to be a extremely good passer, so I needed to be sensible with my passes and attempt to assist my teammates win it doesn’t matter what. It was a course of for certain. However while you’re watching movie and also you’re taking part in these video games, you’re getting these recreation reps, you’re gonna get higher at it. You’re gonna be capable to simply learn the sport loads simpler.
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Cayden: It’s undoubtedly simpler. We’re tremendous sincere with one another and we hold one another in verify. We don’t need both of us to get complacent as a result of it’s only the start of our journey. Clearly, we’ve had a fantastic highschool resume, but it surely’s gonna change on the school degree. We’re gonna have to start out over once more, and the NBA is gonna begin over once more. So we gotta hold one another in place and ensure we don’t get complacent.
Cayden: I imply, simply to remain within the second. Your entire life you’re wanting ahead to what’s gonna occur subsequent. However while you’re staying within the second, you’re gonna cherish it and also you’re gonna have the very best within the current. And clearly, your future’s gonna be nice while you get there. However simply keep within the second – these recollections are gonna final a lifetime. You don’t wanna smash them wanting on the future. So simply keep within the second. I had a extremely dangerous recreation with too many turnovers.
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Cayden: I’ve talked to gamers like Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Immanuel Quickley – simply guards which might be there. And the primary factor is simply to maintain working. A whole lot of guys like the approach to life of it, however they don’t perceive that you need to hold working while you get there to remain there. So simply to maintain working and keep within the second.
Cayden: I imply, clearly we had a extremely heartbreaking loss within the Closing 4. However the expectation for any Duke workforce is to win a nationwide championship. I really feel like with the workforce that we’ve, and hopefully we’ll see who’s coming again and who we’re gonna switch for, however I really feel like we’re gonna have a extremely good shot to win a nationwide championship. And that’s the usual. We wouldn’t need the rest apart from that. So the objective is to win a nationwide championship.
Cayden: I imply, everyone knows that Duke’s actually hated by most colleges. So I imply, I’m effective taking part in the villain position. We wanna win at Duke. So if which means we’re gonna be villains, then which means we’re gonna be villains.
Cayden: Clearly we’ve received loads in highschool. So some folks may not need us to win. However I imply, it’s most likely gonna be loads larger at that stage as a result of it’s the most important stage in school basketball. So I’m certain it’s gonna be a special sort of adversity, however I’m excited for it. I’ve been dreaming about this since I used to be slightly child. So I’m wanting ahead to it.
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Cameron Boozer: Yeah, it’s superb to have the ability to be right here with the highest 12 guys within the nation. It’s a fantastic feeling – compete with a number of the finest gamers and play a number of the finest worldwide gamers. It’s gonna be a great take a look at for us and we’re gonna get after it.
Cameron: I imply, it’s particular to undergo it with somebody you’re so near, have somebody by your aspect. It helps slightly bit as effectively and I believe it makes it extra pleasant on the identical time.
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Cameron: It’s superb to go to school with somebody I’m so near, that’s my brother. We lived collectively and every thing, did every thing collectively our entire life. So our objective is simply to go there, to compete, and win a nationwide championship.
Cameron: I imply, I’m simply attempting to be the very best model of me, truthfully.
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Cameron: I see myself as somebody who can do all of it. No matter you want me to do on the courtroom, I can do.
Cameron: A whole lot of Tatum, Paolo, even some guys like Giannis – larger wings.
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Cameron: For certain.
Cameron: I imply, I suppose you can say that. I believe largely what I get from it’s simply studying the expertise and what it takes to be a professional.
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Cameron: To remain within the second, to work laborious, and simply have the correct mindset.
Cameron: In fact it was powerful. I had a whole lot of nice colleges, a whole lot of nice teaching workers as effectively. So after all it was a tricky determination for me. However finally, Duke was the correct determination for me going to the following stage of my profession.
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Cameron: Yeah, after all, we’re excited. I imply, huge sneakers to fill, however we’re not anxious. We all know the sort of guys that we’re bringing in, and we all know the sort of aggressive spirit we’ve. I believe we’re gonna be nice subsequent yr.
And what’s your expectation then – nationwide championship this season?
Cameron: Yeah
Cameron: I don’t suppose so. I’d say most likely the Thompson twins, simply because they’re from South Florida like we’re, they usually’re doing a whole lot of nice issues as effectively.
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Cameron: I imply, I’m undecided what he did, however that was undoubtedly humorous.
He doesn’t speak to you about it?
Cameron I imply, we nonetheless get it on my feed. We’ve talked about it earlier than, but it surely’s humorous.
