The Memphis Grizzlies ended up having the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which was widely expected to be the spot in which a team would simply get the third player of the top-three prospects in the draft who were believed to be better than everyone else.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa went No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards. The Utah Jazz had the second pick and chose Darryn Peterson from Kansas. And with the third pick, the Grizzlies got Cameron Boozer out of Duke.
Even in the moment, it still felt like a win for Memphis. Boozer has seemed like a future NBA star for years.
And now five games into his NBA career, Boozer seems even more like a win for the Grizzlies. He hasn’t skipped a beat since reaching the league.
His best performance came Thursday night in a win over Peterson and the Jazz — Boozer put up a triple-double as Memphis improved to 5-0.
Cameron Boozer Stats
Boozer needed just 28 minutes in a 124-103 win to put up a triple-double on Thursday.
He scored 18 points with 12 rebounds and 12 assists. He led Memphis in all three categories.
Boozer shot 6-for-10 from the field, including a blistering 4-for-5 from 3-point range. He made both free throws that he attempted.
Boozer also had just two turnovers compared to his 12 assists, which is a remarkable combination for a rookie power forward.
His plus-20 when he was on the floor tied for best on the Grizzlies with Jaylen Wells.
Boozer’s stat line also made him some history that only Oscar Robertson has done before.
Cameron Boozer Joins Oscar Robertson in NBA History
Boozer has a triple-double in the NBA before having a loss. If that seems rare, you’re right.
It has only happened once before, when the legendary Oscar Robertson actually got a triple-double in his NBA debut.
Boozer waited five games, but that almost makes it more remarkable, because it means he and his Grizzlies are now 5-0, and he’s got a triple-double on his ledger.
OptaStats shared the history on their X account:
Cameron Boozer is the second player all-time to record a triple-double in the NBA before he ever lost a game in the NBA.
The other was Oscar Robertson, who had a triple-double in a victory in his NBA debut on October 19, 1960. https://t.co/XXi83UxoUd
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 30, 2026
Boozer also helped the Grizzlies get the last laugh in their first game against Ja Morant since trading him. Morant was solid, although he got injured late in the game, and it was Memphis who got to leave Portland with a win, a triple-double and some history.
Grizzlies’ Cameron Boozer Joins Oscar Robertson in Rare Basketball History