The Memphis Grizzlies were optimistic that rookie forward Cameron Boozer would be ready to contribute early in his first season.
Not only did they draft the Duke forward No. 3 overall, but he was the National Player of the Year in college last year and has an NBA-ready body. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cam was a popular pick to be the rookie best ready to contribute in October.
Grizzlies fans rejoice, because not only was Boozer ready for takeoff, but he is breaking records left and right and the Grizzlies have yet to lose a basketball game.
Cam Boozer is breaking LeBron James records
Cam Boozer recorded a triple-double in just his fifth career game; only Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson have done it faster. In terms of age, Boozer is now the youngest forward in NBA history to record a triple-double -- passing LeBron James.
Anytime a player can break a LeBron record, it's a good day, but there are other reasons to find the parallel tantalizing. While Cooper Flagg is probably a better comparison for LeBron's career arc -- dominant high schooler, really good as a rookie, All-NBA as a second-year player, do-it-all forward with an insane motor -- there are real connections between James and Boozer as well.
Specifically, Boozer and James both entered the league processing the game at an elite level. Boozer doesn't have LeBron's elite athleticism, but he has an NBA-ready body from day one -- an often overlooked piece of adjusting to the NBA. Now add in processing at a superstar level, and you get a player ready to make an impact right from the jump.
Make an impact Boozer has, of course. Memphis is 5-0 with wins over their peers in the Western Conference Play-In race: they have taken down Golden State, Utah (twice) and Portland. Everyone in the Memphis rotation appears better than they were a season ago, and Boozer is a major reason why that is the case. His passing, his screens, his kickouts, his crashing the glass -- all of it is not only driving winning basketball, it's making his teammates the best version of themselves.
That is, of course, another trait attributed to LeBron James over the years. He was individually brilliant, absolutely, but he also made his teammates better thorugh his style of play. Boozer won't be demolishing rims in transition as often as young LeBron, but he can have a similar impact on the team around him.
LeBron isn't the only legend that Cam Boozer is matching. He is only the second rookie in NBA history to start 5-0 as a dominant frontcourt player (averaging 15 + 10, in this case); Boozer joins Hakeem Olajuwon. And no teenage rookie has led his team to a 5-0 start.
Cam Boozer is something special. Sometimes breaking records is just a result of changing NBA rules and styles of play. Other times, it's a sign of true greatness. Boozer's performance thus far is much more the latter than the former.
Will he be as good as LeBron James? Almost certainly not. LeBron has had the best career of any player in NBA history.
Can Boozer be a superstar? Can he be the best player on a contending team? Can he receive MVP votes and make All-NBA teams for the next decade? Absolutely.
He is already showing himself to be a star. The sky is the limit for Boozer -- and LeBron James has been put on notice.
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