Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was named the 2026 Associated Press Player of the Year on Friday, capping a breakout season in which he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. The award, announced April 3, makes Boozer just the fifth freshman in college basketball history to earn AP Player of the Year honors, joining Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012) and Kevin Durant (2007).
Boozer’s stat line placed him among the national leaders: his scoring and assist totals ranked inside the top 15 in the country, while his double-figure rebounding average underscored a rare all-around impact for a first-year player. The 6-foot-9 forward has been widely projected as a top-three pick in the upcoming NBA draft, and this season’s accolades have only heightened his draft profile.
Friday’s AP award adds to a growing hardware collection for Boozer. He already collected national Player of the Year honors from CBS Sports, the USBWA and the NABC, was a unanimous AP First-Team All-American and swept the ACC’s major individual awards as both Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Those recognitions followed a season in which Boozer anchored a Duke lineup that repeatedly relied on his scoring, playmaking and interior presence.
Boozer also extended Duke’s long lineage of AP winners. He becomes the ninth Blue Devil to claim AP Player of the Year, following Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992) and Art Heyman (1963). The list underlines Duke’s sustained production of elite college talent across decades.
In addition to the AP prize, Boozer is among five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award; the winner will be revealed Friday, April 10 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. The other Wooden finalists named alongside Boozer are Darius Acuff Jr., AJ Dybantsa, Yaxel Lendeborg and Braden Smith.
Boozer’s ascent this season drew national attention not only for the volume of awards but for the rarity of a freshman dominating on multiple statistical fronts. His combination of scoring, rebounding and playmaking put him in distinct company and helped cement a case for immediate NBA readiness even as he leaves a profound mark on the college game.