Most people know Duke twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer’s dad Carlos Boozer for his NBA stardom. This is for good reason as Carlos played 13 NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Boozer twins’ parents, Carlos and CeCe Boozer, have been center stage during Duke’s March Madness run. Carlos has quite a resume as a 2-time All-Star and former All-NBA player. Perhaps less known is the Boozer twins’ dad’s journey all over the world.
Carlos was born in Aschaffenburg, Germany, as his father served in the military. The family would go on to move to Washington D.C., but Carlos labels Juneau, Alaska, as home, where the Boozer family spent a good portion of his childhood.
During a 2023 interview with Alaska Public Media, the Boozer twins’ dad discussed some of the challenges of growing up Black in Alaska.
“Coming from Washington, D.C., that’s really all we saw,” Carlos noted in the August 2023, interview. “And then going to Alaska, with a lot of Native American brothers and sisters. And then, you know, a lot of Caucasians. And that was great, too.
“But we’re so used to seeing people that look like us. But you know, it was one of those fortunate things where it opened my eyes to new possibilities to making new friends and different races.”
Here’s what you need to know about Cameron and Cayden’s dad.
Cameron & Cayden Boozer’s Dad Carlos Boozer on Growing Up Black in Alaska: ‘I Looked Different. My Swag Was Different.’
Carlos had a different experience growing up in Juneau, but the NBA star noted that he was embraced by the community. The Boozer twins’ father may have helped his neighbors discover rappers like Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.
“I was very different,” Carlos added. “I looked different. My swag was different.
“I’m coming into school, in that old ʼ85 Dodge van, bumping Tupac and Biggie, and it was like nobody had ever heard of those rappers before. They embraced me, and they loved me. And I love them back for that.”
Despite Filing for Divorce in 2009, Cameron & Cayden’s Parents, Carlos & CeCe Boozer, Continue to Cheer on the Duke Twins Together
GettyCameron Boozer’s parents Carlos and CeCe Boozer continue to cheer on Duke.
According to the Deseret News, Carlos and CeCe filed for divorce in 2009. The Boozer twins’ parents can still be spotted sitting together at Duke games, cheering on Cameron and Cayden.
Carlos is likely hoping that his sons follow in his footsteps by winning a national championship at Duke. The former NBA star insists that he had little to do with Cameron and Cayden choosing Duke during their recruitment.
“No, I didn’t force it on them at all,” Carlos explained during a March 26, interview on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “They chose it on their own. They went through the entire recruiting process.
“They met all the coaches. They went on their official visits, and they decided to play together and play at Duke. And I was obviously extremely happy about that. It’s obviously worked out pretty well for them. But they went through the process on their own and did a hell of a job making a good choice.”
Cameron & Cayden’s NBA Dad Carlos Boozer Has Unique Background