LAS VEGAS – Just after leading the Explorers past AZ Compass, 90-72, on Friday at the Border League, Cameron Boozer had a brief moment of reflection when discussing his recruitment.
“Man, I’d been getting recruited since the ninth grade,” said Boozer, who picked Duke over Miami last week along with his twin brother Cayden. “I mean you have to be grateful for everything.”
Still, when asked if he misses the process in any way, he answered with a resounding, “No.”
“Oh nah, I don’t like all of those recruiting questions and things like that,” said Boozer, who checks in at No. 2 overall in the Rivals150. “It was a long process and sometimes it was just a lot on me. Now that it’s over, I definitely feel less stressed.”
It helps that he’s thoroughly convinced that he and his brother made the best decision in the end.
“I mean with the schools we were considering it was a situation where you just couldn’t go wrong with whatever you chose,” Boozer said. “Miami will always have a piece of my heart, but Duke is just so amazing in so many ways. I know that’s where I’m supposed to be for sure. I’m happy that it’s over.”
That said, the work is just beginning for Boozer.
He said he’s on a quest to help Jon Scheyer reel in a few of his peers, though he chose to keep their names a secret for now.
“I’m gonna keep it undisclosed for now,” Boozer said. “I’m trying to make some things happen though. I’m working.”
The fruits of his on-court labor were on full display on Friday, scoring in every way imaginable, overpowering and out-maneuvering the opposing bigs to the point that it seemed unfair at times.
He finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the win, a carryover from a dominant summer that saw him win a second straight Nike Peach Jam title.
That’s got the debate raging about whether he can unseat AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 before he heads off to college.
“I don’t care about that at all,” Boozer said. “The only thing that matters is what I do on the floor and if I’m getting better. That’s all I care about.”
