It didn’t even take one full game for Duke head coach Jon Scheyer to find the right message to light a fire under Cameron Boozer when he is struggling in a game.
After the Blue Devils’ 75-60 win over Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational, Boozer told reporters Scheyer specifically told the freshman phenom he was “playing soft” in the first half.
The message came after Boozer missed all seven of his field-goal attempts and was held scoreless in the first half, as the Blue Devils trailed 33-32 going into the break.
“I just tried to wash it off,” Boozer said of his tough start to the game.
Boozer responded to the challenge by dropping 15 points in the second half, including six from the free-throw line within the first six minutes. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and had three steals in 36 minutes.
Duke outscored Texas 43-27 over the final 20 minutes to get a relatively easy victory after a slow start.
Scheyer praised Boozer’s ability to rebound in the second half to lift the Blue Devils in a marquee early-season matchup.
“He’s just a competitor and he’s a winner, and the ability to flip that switch in game, I think that’s what a lot of guys struggle with,” Scheyer told reporters. “That’s, that’s not an easy thing.”
Boozer is going to be under an intense spotlight all season, not just because he is the star player for a loaded Duke team, but he’s also the son of a school legend and is on the shortlist of contenders to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
Finishing with a double-double and leading his team to a win despite not having his best game shows how dominant Boozer can be as he continues to gain experience.
Next up for Boozer and the Blue Devils is a game against Western Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
