Cameron Boozer up for major national award after leading Columbus to another state title

Cameron Boozer is already a two-time state champion, a Miami Herald Athlete of the Year and the No. 1 player in his recruiting class, and now, still only a sophomore, he could be on the verge of adding another accolade to his growing list.

The Columbus star is one of three finalists for the national Gatorade Player of the Year award for boys’ basketball after leading the Explorers to a second straight Class 7A title and a top-10 ranking in the nation.

Boozer is the only non-senior up for the award. The other finalists are Matas Buzelis from Sunrise Christian in Wichita, Kansas, and Isaiah Collier from Wheeler in Marietta, Georgia. The winner will be announced next week.

Boozer, who’s the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, is a five-star prospect and the No. 1 player in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

A do-it-all power forward, Boozer averaged 21.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 blocks per game to help Columbus finish No. 9 in MaxPreps’ national rankings. On March 4, had 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks to help the Explorers eke out a 50-48 win against Winter Haven in the 7A title game.

He’s also a finalist for the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year.

Last year, Boozer led Columbus to its first ever state championship, and was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A and overall Miami-Dade County Athlete of the Year for Classes 7A-5A for his historic season. A year later, he was even better and helped turn the Explorers into a national power. Columbus even beat Collier’s Wildcats early in the year.

The Explorers also scored top-25 wins against New Jersey’s Camden and Paul VI from Chantilly, Virginia.

The 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward already holds scholarship offers from Miami, Duke, Florida State, Arkansas and Michigan.