With a No. 1 recruiting class, a hungry locker room, and a Boozer-led blueprint, Duke is ready to turn preseason doubt into postseason dominance
Cameron Boozer Believes Duke Is Being Overlooked for 2025-26 — And He Might Be Right
When you’re a program with five national titles, a Hall of Fame coaching legacy, and a Final Four berth just months behind you, being “overlooked” sounds like an odd reality. But that’s exactly what incoming Duke freshman Cameron Boozer believes is happening to the Blue Devils heading into the 2025-26 college basketball season.
“I think we have a special group,” Boozer told ESPN. “I think we’re very overlooked right now, but once the season starts, that’ll change for sure.”
Bold words from a bold talent — and he has the pedigree to back it up. The son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer, Cameron isn’t just another high-profile freshman; he’s arguably the best newcomer in the nation. And alongside his twin brother Cayden, a four-star point guard, Cameron is set to become the face of a Blue Devils squad that’s loaded with talent, but lacking in experience.
So, is Boozer just blowing smoke to hype up his team, or is there real truth to the claim that Duke is being disrespected before the season tips off?
The Talent Is Undeniable
First, let’s talk facts. Duke’s incoming recruiting class is the No. 1 ranked group in the country. That alone should give fans and analysts reason to believe in the program’s upside. Alongside the Boozer twins, the class includes five-star forward Nik Khamenia and explosive guard Dame Sarr, a late steal from Kansas after Cedric Coward opted to stay in the NBA Draft.
This is not just a good class — it’s elite. And in an era where one-and-done talent continues to shape college basketball’s landscape, few programs are better positioned to reload than Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils.
Despite losing all five starters from last year’s Final Four team, Duke has retooled with players who were dominant at the high school level and project to make immediate impacts.
But the Doubts Are Understandable
Still, the skeptics have their case. Duke may be oozing with potential, but it’s short on proven college production. Of the returning players, only Caleb Foster is a likely starter with significant high-level experience — and even he had a rocky sophomore campaign, struggling for minutes late in the season.
Isaiah Evans, one of last year’s few bright spots, returns as a lethal shooter, but must now evolve into a more complete offensive threat. Darren Harris showed flashes but was underutilized. Maliq Brown is a defensive powerhouse, but rarely looks to contribute as a scorer. That leaves a lot of unknowns around the new core.
The preseason doubts largely stem from this lack of on-court proof. Duke isn’t entering the 2025-26 campaign with battle-tested veterans or returning All-Americans. Instead, it’s banking on raw talent, chemistry, and rapid development — a high-ceiling but high-risk formula.
ESPN’s Ranking Tells the Story
Perhaps the clearest indicator of Duke’s perceived status comes from ESPN’s recent preseason Top 25 rankings, which place the Blue Devils at No. 12. That’s solid, but not where you’d expect a program with a top recruiting class, blue blood pedigree, and a Final Four resume to land.
The skepticism is loud — and Boozer hears it. But instead of shying away, he’s stepping forward as a freshman leader willing to shoulder the burden of turning perception into results.
A Grueling Schedule Awaits
If Duke wants to prove the doubters wrong, they’ll get the chance early — and often. The Blue Devils have one of the toughest non-conference slates in college basketball next season. That schedule will test the team’s cohesion, depth, and resilience before they even get into the grind of ACC play.
It’s a gamble. But one that Scheyer seems ready to take with this new-look squad. And for Boozer, it’s a platform to showcase exactly why he believes Duke should be feared, not forgotten.
Leadership Beyond Years
What sets Boozer apart isn’t just his talent. It’s his maturity. His confidence doesn’t come across as arrogance — it’s belief. He’s been groomed for this moment since birth. He’s seen what it takes to succeed at the highest level, both through his father’s career and his own journey through high school and international competition.
He’s not coming to Duke just to play. He’s coming to lead. And that leadership may be exactly what a young, talented team needs in a year full of question marks.
So, Is Duke Really Being Overlooked?
The answer may lie somewhere in between. Duke isn’t being ignored — it’s still a top-15 team — but it’s not being feared like usual. And that’s where Boozer’s comments strike a deeper chord.
This year’s team doesn’t have the star power of Zion Williamson or the experience of Grayson Allen’s era. But it does have raw talent, strong recruiting, and something Duke teams often lack: the element of surprise.
If Boozer’s instincts are right, Duke won’t be under the radar for long. The talent is there. The hunger is evident. The schedule will provide a stage. What remains to be seen is whether this group can turn potential into performance and prove that preseason narratives mean nothing when the real games begin.
Final Thoughts
In a college basketball world driven by hype and history, Duke is entering a rare season as a team full of promise but lacking proven stars. Cameron Boozer doesn’t mind that one bit. In fact, he sees it as fuel.
“We’re very overlooked right now, but once the season starts, that’ll change for sure,” he said.
And if Boozer delivers on that promise — along with a freshman class poised to take the sport by storm — Duke could very well go from doubted to dominant before the rest of the country sees it coming.
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