Hill: Cam Boozer is a star — and a cause for ‘ultimate optimism’
Cameron Boozer, right, poses for a photo with Adam Silver, left, NBA Commissioner, after being selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Drew Hill
Drew Hill covers the Memphis Grizzlies and is a top-10 APSE winner. He has worked throughout the South writing about college athletics before landing in Memphis.
NEW YORK — There was a moment on Tuesday night in Brooklyn when it became real.
It happened before NBA commissioner Adam Silver walked the note card to center stage inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to announce the Memphis Grizzlies’ No. 3 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.
As expected, star BYU forward AJ Dybantsa went No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson was picked No. 2 by the Jazz.
And then came a shuffle. No, not in the projected draft order. The top five picks played out according to the mocks.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Memphis Grizzlies 2026 NBA Draft Subscriber Only Cameron BoozerThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
Did you know we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization? We rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and other earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉🏽 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉🏽 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Related stories
Martin: In this NBA Draft, there’s a lot to like for the Grizzlies
With less than a week to go before the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, here are some of John Martin’s thoughts on the class and who he most believes in.
2 Daily Memphian sports writers win first place in state contest
Drew Hill and John Varlas of The Daily Memphian sports staff both won Tennessee Sports Writers Association 2026 contest awards.
Grizzlies podcast: Mocking the NBA Draft
Drew Hill and Chris Herrington are joined by special guest Parker Fleming for a 32-selection mock NBA Draft with a focus on the Memphis Grizzlies’ three picks.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.