If there’s one thing to be said about the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, it’s the plethora of freshman talent expected to garner national attention throughout the year.
Speaking of that talent, Duke basketball once again has one of the top freshmen classes in the country, headlined by two players who come from Blue Devils royalty in Cameron and Cayden Boozer.
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The Boozer twins enter their freshman campaigns with lofty expectations and goals, as the Blue Devils look to return to the Final Four. Cameron Boozer in particular is considered a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
After two tune-ups in the preseason, the twins will officially get their collegiate careers underway on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 8:45 p.m. ET, when the fifth-ranked Blue Devils take on Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
As the Boozer Twins get ready to officially kick off their collegiate career with the Blue Devils, here’s what you need to know about their family tree:
Are Cameron, Cayden Boozer related to Carlos Boozer?
Yes, both Cameron and Cayden Boozer are the sons of former Duke and NBA forward Carlos Boozer. They are fraternal twins.
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Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke’s 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.
Boozer — an ACC All-Freshman selection in 2000 and the 2002 ACC Tournament MVP — has his name linked to several Duke program records, including best career field goal shooting percentage (63.1%) and third-best NCAA tournament shooting percentage (62.7%).
“I’m proud of them. They’ve worked their butts off for this moment,” Carlos Boozer told ESPN following his sons’ commitment to his alma mater in October 2024. “Really excited that they took their time. Decided to play together in college, which is amazing. They both complement each other so well. They made the best decision for them. Me and Mom couldn’t be any prouder. It’s going to be a fun journey.”
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The Boozer Twins were the first members of Duke’s 2025 recruiting class, as they both announced their commitment to the Blue Devils on Oct. 11, 2024. According to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Cameron Boozer was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the 2025 class, while Cayden Boozer was ranked 23rd.
“It is a super cool moment, super surreal,” Cayden Boozer told USA TODAY Sports’ Sports Seriously in an interview on what it is like to play with his brother at their dad’s alma mater. “Obviously, playing college basketball is a big goal of ours, but being able to play with each other at Duke, the biggest brand in all of college basketball, is going to be a really fun time for that time.”
Both the Boozer twins played in Duke’s preseason exhibitions against UCF and Tennessee. Cameron Boozer finished with double-doubles in both: 24 points, 23 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal against Tennessee and 33 points, 12 rebounds and four assists against UCF.
“Cam just battled,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Cameron Boozer following the Tennessee exhibition on Sunday, Oct. 26. “He just competed every play and I think his toughness to overcome making mistakes is unique for a freshman. I think he’s gonna, knowing him, he’s gonna be critiquing himself even though he had 24, 23 and six with one turnover, but he just carried us the whole way.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are Duke’s Cameron, Cayden Boozer related to Carlos Boozer?
