Boozer Wins Naismith, Columbus High Has Heisman Champ
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- Cameron Boozer was named the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
- Cameron Boozer beat out Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg for the Naismith award.
- Columbus High produced both the Naismith winner (Boozer) and Heisman Trophy winner (Fernando Mendoza) in the same year, a first‑time occurrence for classmates from the same school.
- Fernando Mendoza is a former Indiana quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy less than four months before Boozer’s Naismith win.
- Tommy Lloyd of Arizona was named Naismith Coach of the Year on the same day.
- Helix High in Southern California is another school that has historically produced a Heisman winner (Reggie Bush) and a Naismith winner (Bill Walton).
- Cameron Boozer is projected as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, likely among the first three selections.
Why it matters: Columbus High’s profile soars, positioning the school as a premier talent pipeline for college and professional sports, while Boozer’s Naismith honor bolsters his draft stock, likely securing a top‑three selection in the 2026 NBA Draft and enhancing Duke’s recruiting appeal.
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