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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How Carlos Boozer, Avery Bradley are helping the Jazz brain trust for NBA Draft
Carlos Boozer strode confidently through Zions Bank Basketball Center, the Utah Jazz training facility. Once upon a time, he walked this space as a player. Those were his All-Star days. His Olympian days. The days of Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and the late, great Jerry Sloan. The days of Utah's powder blue uniform. Advertisement Today, Boozer is back with the organization, and, along with Avery Bradley, is a key cog in a front office tasked with selecting the fifth pick in Wednesday night's NBA Draft. Utah's war room will be different for Boozer, not only because he's no longer a player, but also because the building has undergone renovations since his playing days. And we're talking about a front office that has transitioned in general managers from Kevin O'Connor to Dennis Lindsey, to Justin Zanik, to Danny Ainge, and now to Austin Ainge. 'This place has really transformed,' Boozer told The Athletic. 'You see the kitchen over there? That used to be our weight room. This has been fun. It's been a long time coming. I love that I'm back, and it's a huge honor to be working for the Jazz. It's a little different to be on this side. 'But, I want to do my part to build this team back up to being a contender, because that's where this franchise belongs. I love this fan base and this town. It reminds me of my hometown in Alaska. So, this has been a huge honor, and it's brought back so many memories.' Whomever the Jazz select with the fifth pick, whether it be Tre Johnson, Ace Bailey or someone like Jeremiah Fears, Boozer and Bradley will have been key figures in that selection. Officially, Boozer is a scout, and Bradley is the vice president of player development. They both have dreams of one day running their franchise in an executive role. However, in this draft cycle, Boozer and Bradley have both been entrusted with key parts of the scouting and recommendation process. 'They both have a unique perspective, having played the game at a high level for so long,' Austin Ainge told The Athletic. 'It's something that I have leaned on and relied on. They have a lot of trust.' Their roles have been simple yet essential: observe workouts, engage in conversations about the prospects and interact with them. In several key workouts and interviews, the two have been front and center, offering their opinions about what they saw and how prospects have reacted to workouts, whether in groups or individually. Advertisement From Austin Ainge's point of view, the experience that Boozer and Bradley accumulated as players who experienced many different situations became an asset for the Jazz. And everyone knows that a lot is at stake for a Utah organization that needs to get this draft correct. The Jazz will pick fifth on Wednesday night, and whoever they select needs to be a hit. The Jazz have nice players on their roster. Isaiah Collier turned in a terrific rookie season at point guard. Keyonte George continues to evolve as a scorer and a potentially dynamic offensive player. Walker Kessler has emerged as a cornerstone. Kyle Filipowski and Taylor Hendricks both possess a wealth of talent. Cody Williams had a rough rookie season, but the Jazz still hold a lot of hope for the former lottery pick. However, what Utah lacks is a player who projects to be an All-NBA level talent, the kind of player the Oklahoma City Thunder assembled on their path to a championship. That's the task of the Jazz this draft cycle. They know they have to find one of those kinds of players, which is why bringing in Boozer and pairing him with Bradley could pay dividends. 'I think having the perspective of being a player is helpful,' Bradley said. 'Seeing players that could model and resemble some of the players that we've played with and have been in locker rooms with helps. What Carlos and I have wanted to do is help Austin and Justin (Zanik) and Danny (Ainge) in the process.' What has helped Boozer and Bradley in this cycle is their background as players. They were both McDonald's All-Americans and at the top of their respective high school classes. So, they both know what it's like to be superstars at the youth level, much like almost anyone the Jazz will draft on Wednesday night. However, they both had to find ways to sustain success after college. Advertisement Boozer, after a standout career at Duke, fell to being a second-round pick. Why? Because, as a big man, he played relatively under the rim and was only around 6 foot 9 as a power forward. There were concerns about his athleticism and how well he would defend at the NBA level. He turned out to be a great player. He broke out with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and in the peak of his career with the Jazz, he was one of the better power forwards in the Western Conference. Jazz fans haven't soon forgotten his legendary Game 7 road performance against the Houston Rockets in 2007, when he scored 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. That was the last season the Jazz advanced as far as the Western Conference finals. Bradley was the top player in his high school class. After college, though, he went from star to role player. And then, he went from role player to being one of the most valuable role players in the league. What prevented him from being a star was being a tweener offensively, neither a point guard nor a shooting guard. What made him the guy almost every contender would want on their team during his prime years was his defense. He was, for much of his prime, one of the very best guard defenders in basketball, his long arms, penchant for playing hard and quick feet completing a great defensive package. When Boozer and Bradley evaluate, they tend to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses: What a player is capable of doing, rather than what they can't do. 'For sure, I'm a tougher critic when it comes to the defensive end of the floor,' Bradley said. 'I think watching the guys gives us a lot of good perspective, each and every day. Carlos was great on the offensive end, so that brings one perspective. When we watch guys, we are trying to project what they will be. We are trying to build a culture that is defensively focused. I think if we can find a way to grow the right culture, we will have the chance to be very successful.' What will be fascinating for Boozer next season is that he will be in a position to scout his sons, with the decent chance that one of them may end up playing for the Jazz. Twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer will be freshmen at Duke this upcoming season. Cam is a 6-foot-10 power forward who projects as one of the top three picks of the 2026 NBA draft. He is a player with very few weaknesses on either side of the floor and has been among the best high school players in the country for years. Advertisement Cayden is one of the best and mature point guards in the class. At 6-5, he has terrific size for his position and is one of the smartest point guards in the class. He projects as a first-round pick. The twins were very small when Carlos was playing for the Jazz. And Carlos promises that scouting them professionally won't be much different from watching them as a father, because, as a father, one can sometimes be the harshest critic for the son. However, ask Carlos about his sons, and the glowing nature of how he talks about them shines through. Above all else, he is a proud father. 'I don't think it will be anything new,' Boozer said. 'I've been evaluating them for their whole careers. I enjoy being a dad and pushing and challenging them. I'm certainly looking forward to getting on campus at Duke, watching them and evaluating the highs and lows and their growth process. Bradley, 34, and Boozer, 43, being relatively young, bode well for their second careers. The fact that they are both recently retired gives them a unique opportunity to impart wisdom to the potential draftees. Whether that pick turns out to be Bailey, Johnson or whomever, Boozer and Bradley will have had a significant hand in that selection. (Photo of Avery Bradley, Carlos Boozer and Austin Ainge: Carlos Avila / Utah Jazz)
NBC Sports
13-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Boozer: I wanted to let sons 'sink or swim'
Carlos Boozer catches up with Jordan Cornette at the men's Nike Hoop Summit to discuss how proud he is of his sons Cameron and Cayden, sharing why he can't wait to see them wear a Duke uniform next season.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nike Hoop Summit men's rosters 2025: Kiyan Anthony, Cameron Boozer headline high school basketball event
There is one place in April where fans can see the NBA stars of tomorrow today — and it's not the NCAA Tournament. It's the Nike Hoops Summit, which takes place this Saturday. It can be seen starting at 7 p.m. on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock. It's a USA vs. the World game featuring the best high school players from around the globe. The list of alums from the summit includes 15 former No. 1 picks and 94 top-10 picks, featuring such names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett — and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Advertisement Who are this year's participants? Here are this year's rosters for the Nike Hoops Summit men's teams. MEN'S TEAM USA roster • Darius Acuff Jr., 6'2' guard. The Arkansas commit was the top-ranked point guard in this class. He was tournament MVP when the USA won gold at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4 assists a game. • Nate Ament, 6'7' forward. He led his high school squad to the Virginia state championship three times, averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this past season. • Cameron Boozer, 6'9' forward. The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer (and the twin brother of Cayden Boozer), Cameron is the early projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Duke commit won two gold medals and was named MVP for USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. • Cayden Boozer, 6'3' guard. The other son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer and the fraternal twin of Cameron Boozer, like his brother and father he is committed to Duke. He has won two gold medals with Team USA: the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. Advertisement • Mikel Brown Jr., 6'2' guard. The man can shoot the rock, he won the 2025 McDonald's All-American 3-point contest. Brown has committed to Louisville. • Chris Cenac Jr., 6'10' center. The Houston commit was the MVP at the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp, averaging 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks a game. • AJ Dybantsa, 6'8' guard. He has been on this stage before: Dybantsa had a game-high 21 points in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit playing for the World Team (his parents are from the Republic of Congo and Jamaica. He has committed to BYU for college. • Jalen Haralson, 6'8' forward. He averaged 21.2 points per game last spring in the Nike EYBL circuit and was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He has committed to college at Notre Dame. Advertisement • Jasper Johnson, 6'4' guard. The bucket getter and sharp-shooting guard was always destined for Kentucky for college, his father, Dennis, and his uncle, Derrick, both played football at Kentucky (Dennis also played three seasons in the NFL). He and big man Malachi Moreno, also playing for the USA in Portland, will form an impressive freshman tandem for the Wildcats. • Nikolas Khamenia, 6'8' forward. The Duke commit starred at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, the school that produced former NBA players Jarron and Jason Collins, as well as current NBA player Johnny Juzang (not to mention actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal). • Trey McKenney, 6'4' guard. The big-bodied combo guard with a soft shot has committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines next season. • Malachi Moreno, 6'11' center. Kentucky's Mr. Basketball for 2024-25, he is staying home and will play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats. He has shown some chemistry in Nike Hoops Summit practices with the other Kentucky commit here, Jasper Johnson. WORLD ROSTER • Shon Abaev (Israel), 6'7" forward. He recently led Calvary Christian Academy to a Florida Class 3A state championship, and he is committed to the University of Cincinnati for next season. Advertisement • Ikenna Alozie (Nigeria), 6'2' combo guard. He was the MVP of the 2025 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. • Kiyan Anthony (Puerto Rico), 6'5' guard. The son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, he was a standout at Long Island Lutheran high school in New York and, following in his father's footsteps, is committed to Syracuse. He has Puerto Rican ties through his mother, Alani "La La" Vazquez, a well-known actress and producer. • Tajh Ariza (Japan), 6'7" forward. He is the son of Trevor Ariza, who played 18 years in the NBA and won an NBA title in 2009 with the Lakers. He recently led Westchester High School in Los Angeles to its 16th City Section championship. • Bogoljub Marković (Serbia), 6'11" forward. He has played professionally in the very physical and intense Serbian league for the past two seasons. He plays for KK Mega Basket, the team that produced Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, Nikola Jovic and Goga Bitadze. Advertisement • David Mirkovic (Montenegro), 6'9" forward. He is playing professionally for SC Derby Podgorica in Montenegro but reportedly is interested in playing collegiately in the USA next season. • Omer Mayer (Israel), 6'4" guard. Mayer currently plays professionally for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he led Israel, averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game. • Jaion Pitt (Canada), 6'10" forward. Originally from Norwood, Ontario, he moved with his family to play his high school ball in Arizona, and now is committed to playing for Arizona State next season. • Eric Reibe (Germany), 7'0" center. He was the top-ranked player in Maryland this last season and is committed to UConn for next season. Advertisement • Dame Sarr, (Italy) 6'5" guard. He is currently playing for FC Barcelona's top team (but has been linked to Illinois if he comes stateside for college). He was a member of the Italian national team for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. • Tounde Yessoufou (Benin), 6'6" forward. He moved from the West African nation to California at age 15 but adjusted well on the court — he became California's all-time leading scorer in February, breaking DeMarcus Nelson's record. • Boyuan Zhang (China), 6'8" forward. He plays professionally in China for Shanxi Fenju and has represented China in a number of international basketball events.
NBC Sports
11-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Nike Hoop Summit men's rosters 2025: Kiyan Anthony, Cameron Boozer headline high school basketball event
There is one place in April where fans can see the NBA stars of tomorrow today — and it's not the NCAA Tournament. It's the Nike Hoops Summit, which takes place this Saturday. It can be seen starting at 7 p.m. on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock. It's a USA vs. the World game featuring the best high school players from around the globe. The list of alums from the summit includes 15 former No. 1 picks and 94 top-10 picks, featuring such names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett — and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Who are this year's participants? Here are this year's rosters for the Nike Hoops Summit men's teams. MEN'S TEAM USA roster • Darius Acuff Jr., 6'2' guard. The Arkansas commit was the top-ranked point guard in this class. He was tournament MVP when the USA won gold at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4 assists a game. • Nate Ament, 6'7' forward. He led his high school squad to the Virginia state championship three times, averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this past season. • Cameron Boozer, 6'9' forward. The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer (and the twin brother of Cayden Boozer), Cameron is the early projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Duke commit won two gold medals and was named MVP for USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. CAMERON BOOZER NAMED GATORADE NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR THE SECOND TIME 🚨 Gonna be a problem as a Blue Devil 😈 @CameronBoozer12 • Cayden Boozer, 6'3' guard. The other son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer and the fraternal twin of Cameron Boozer, like his brother and father he is committed to Duke. He has won two gold medals with Team USA: the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. • Mikel Brown Jr., 6'2' guard. The man can shoot the rock, he won the 2025 McDonald's All-American 3-point contest. Brown has committed to Louisville. • Chris Cenac Jr., 6'10' center. The Houston commit was the MVP at the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp, averaging 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks a game. • AJ Dybantsa, 6'8' guard. He has been on this stage before: Dybantsa had a game-high 21 points in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit playing for the World Team (his parents are from the Republic of Congo and Jamaica. He has committed to BYU for college. • Jalen Haralson, 6'8' forward. He averaged 21.2 points per game last spring in the Nike EYBL circuit and was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He has committed to college at Notre Dame. • Jasper Johnson, 6'4' guard. The bucket getter and sharp-shooting guard was always destined for Kentucky for college, his father, Dennis, and his uncle, Derrick, both played football at Kentucky (Dennis also played three seasons in the NFL). He and big man Malachi Moreno, also playing for the USA in Portland, will form an impressive freshman tandem for the Wildcats. • Nikolas Khamenia, 6'8' forward. The Duke commit starred at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, the school that produced former NBA players Jarron and Jason Collins, as well as current NBA player Johnny Juzang (not to mention actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal). • Trey McKenney, 6'4' guard. The big-bodied combo guard with a soft shot has committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines next season. • Malachi Moreno, 6'11' center. Kentucky's Mr. Basketball for 2024-25, he is staying home and will play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats. He has shown some chemistry in Nike Hoops Summit practices with the other Kentucky commit here, Jasper Johnson. WORLD ROSTER • Shon Abaev (Israel), 6'7" forward. He recently led Calvary Christian Academy to a Florida Class 3A state championship, and he is committed to the University of Cincinnati for next season. • Ikenna Alozie (Nigeria), 6'2' combo guard. He was the MVP of the 2025 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. • Kiyan Anthony (Puerto Rico), 6'5' guard. The son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, he was a standout at Long Island Lutheran high school in New York and, following in his father's footsteps, is committed to Syracuse. He has Puerto Rican ties through his mother, Alani 'La La' Vazquez, a well-known actress and producer. • Tajh Ariza (Japan), 6'7" forward. He is the son of Trevor Ariza, who played 18 years in the NBA and won an NBA title in 2009 with the Lakers. He recently led Westchester High School in Los Angeles to its 16th City Section championship. • Bogoljub Marković (Serbia), 6'11" forward. He has played professionally in the very physical and intense Serbian league for the past two seasons. He plays for KK Mega Basket, the team that produced Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, Nikola Jovic and Goga Bitadze. • David Mirkovic (Montenegro), 6'9" forward. He is playing professionally for SC Derby Podgorica in Montenegro but reportedly is interested in playing collegiately in the USA next season. • Omer Mayer (Israel), 6'4" guard. Mayer currently plays professionally for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he led Israel, averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game. • Jaion Pitt (Canada), 6'10" forward. Originally from Norwood, Ontario, he moved with his family to play his high school ball in Arizona, and now is committed to playing for Arizona State next season. • Eric Reibe (Germany), 7'0" center. He was the top-ranked player in Maryland this last season and is committed to UConn for next season. • Dame Sarr, (Italy) 6'5" guard. He is currently playing for FC Barcelona's top team (but has been linked to Illinois if he comes stateside for college). He was a member of the Italian national team for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. • Tounde Yessoufou (Benin), 6'6" forward. He moved from the West African nation to California at age 15 but adjusted well on the court — he became California's all-time leading scorer in February, breaking DeMarcus Nelson's record. • Boyuan Zhang (China), 6'8" forward. He plays professionally in China for Shanxi Fenju and has represented China in a number of international basketball events.
Miami Herald
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
In game where father once shined, Cameron Boozer stars in McDonald's All-American Game
Just as so many basketball stars have in recent decades, Carlos Boozer delivered a stellar performance at the McDonald's All-American Game before his stellar career in college at Duke and the NBA. Over two decades later, Boozer sat courtside and watched his sons, Cameron and Cayden, take part in what will likely be a springboard for their own burgeoning careers. Both played for the East squad in Tuesday night's 2025 version of the McDonald's All-American Game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Although the East fell short in a 105-92 loss, Cameron, in particular, shined as he earned co-MVP honors. Cameron finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the game and helped his team stay close until the final minutes of the game. The West squad, however, pulled away with help from co-MVP Darryn Peterson, a Kansas signee, who scored 18 points and helped that side win the annual event for the first time since 2018. Boozer, who along with his brother are headed to Duke University next season like their father once did, was one of three players from South Florida in the event along with Calvary Christian's Shon Abaev, a University of Cincinnati signee who came off the East bench and played several minutes. In the 1999 McDonald's game, Carlos Boozer finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. On Tuesday night, he sat courtside with his wife, CeCe and his oldest son, Carmani, as Cameron got the start and later Cayden entered off the bench to play significant minutes in the star-studded game. The Boozers got the chance to face future Duke teammate, Nikolas Khamenia, who played for the West. A.J. Dybantsa, the nation's top-ranked prospect and BYU commit, and whom the Boozers faced multiple times during their high school career, scored 13 points. NATIONALS NEXT The Boozers will next join their Columbus teammates, who were in attendance in Brooklyn, and begin their attempt at winning a national championship at the Chipotle Nationals tournament, which begins Wednesday and continues through Saturday in Fishers, Indiana. The Explorers are the top seed among the 10 teams in the bracket and play their first game Thursday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU. Columbus will face the winner of the matchup between No. 8 seed Bradenton IMG Academy and No. 9 seed Wasatch Academy of Utah. If they advance to the semifinals, Columbus would play either No. 4 seed Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) or No. 5 seed CIA Bella Vista (CA) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at noon and will be televised on ESPN. Columbus, ranked No. 1 nationally by MaxPreps, is vying to become the first Miami-Dade County boys' basketball team to finish a season ranked No. 1 in the nation.
