NBA Draft: Grizzlies continue latest rebuild with Duke’s Cameron Boozer at No. 3

The Memphis Grizzlies selected Duke forward Cameron Boozer with the third pick in the NBA draft Tuesday night, adding another high pick in their latest rebuilding project.

Boozer joins 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey, the ninth overall pick in 2024, and Cedric Coward, the 11th selection a year ago and member of the All-NBA rookie team.

"It's crazy," Boozer said of hearing his name called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "It's a happiness. It's a joy."

The 6-8, 253-pound Boozer is the son of former Duke and NBA player Carlos Boozer. He was the fifth freshman voted AP men's national player of the year. Now Cameron Boozer joins Edey, a two-time AP men's national player of the year, in Memphis.

Carlos Boozer said his son shows up every single day, and he had some advice for him now.

"Take this moment, enjoy this moment," Carlos Boozer said. "Obviously be where your feet are. Go enjoy it man, go enjoy it."

Boozer averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds while helping Duke win 35 games and reach No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll. The Blue Devils claimed the top overall seed for March Madness and reached the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.

He showed the kind of toughness the Grizzlies can use after so many injuries over the past couple seasons. Boozer finished a loss to UConn with 27 points despite suffering multiple facial fractures in the first half.

That helped Boozer prove he can finish through contact shooting 55.6% from the floor and also shot 39.1% from 3-point range. Boozer also is a strong passer (4.1 assists), notably assisting on Isaiah Evans' late 3-pointer to beat reigning national champion Florida.

The Grizzlies came into this draft as the NBA's only team with three selections in the top 35. They also hold the No. 16 spot in the first round and No. 32 early in the second round giving general manager Zach Kleiman plenty of flexibility to continue revamping the roster.

Memphis kicked this rebuild into gear last summer trading away Desmond Bane and followed up by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. in February.

The only reason two-time All-Star Ja Morant hasn't joined that exodus was Memphis could not find a good enough deal for the point guard to close out the three core Grizzlies who were supposed to lead the franchise into the future.

Memphis still is expected to move on from Morant with the guard playing only 79 games combined over the last three seasons. Morant could be packaged as part of a move up in this draft by the Grizzlies with two years left on his current contract.

The Grizzlies moved up from sixth to third in the lottery after finishing 25-57 and missing the playoffs for the second time in three years. That record makes it difficult to get a read on coach Tuomas Iisalo, and whether his time in European basketball will translate to NBA success.

Memphis also has shooting guard Jaylen Wells, who has started 143 of 148 games in his first two seasons. He joined Edey on the NBA's All-Rookie team, and veteran Ty Jerome was added a year ago as another guard option.