Analyst claims Cameron Boozer will fill void left by Cooper Flagg, as Duke leans on freshmen for ‘second straight season’
CBS Sports college basketball analyst Matt Norlander claimed that incoming freshman Cameron Boozer will fill the void left by Cooper Flagg at Duke in the 2025-26 season due to his winning mentality, pedigree and skills.Norlander discussed the Blue Devils’ situation with Hailey Sutton and columnist Gary Parrish in Friday’s episode of the CBS Sports HQ. The veteran college basketball sportswriter/analyst expects the son of Carlos Boozer to lead the team one season after Cooper Flagg led Duke to the Final Four.
Boozer, the No. 3 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 behind Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, brings a winning mentality and excellent defensive skills to Durham in the upcoming season.”There’s not been a player that has been affected and literally won more than Cameron Boozer,” Norlander said (Timestamp: 6:38). “He brings a high degree of winning. Obviously, there’s a pedigree with his father having played at Duke
The analyst expects a similar situation from last year’s campaign, where freshman forward Boozer will be the main man for the Blue Devils this coming season.
“He’s more powerful than Flagg, he’s a better rebounder than Flagg. I could argue he’s a better rim protector than Flagg. But Flagg is more agile (has the) instincts when it comes to defending the rim, a good weak-side help defender,” Norlander said (Timestamp: 7:06
During his stint at Christopher Columbus High School, Boozer was a two-time Mr. Basketball USA and Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2023 and 2025 and was a co-MVP in the McDonald’s All-American Game.
