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By Anne Erickson
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Cameron Boozer didn't need the biggest entrance at Summer League.
He didn't have the largest crowds following him around or the endless highlight packages. But he just did what he's always done: play basketball, make smart decisions and take over games.
That ended up being pretty convincing.
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The Duke product made a strong case for Summer League MVP by leading the Grizzlies to the championship game while looking completely comfortable against professional competition. Memphis went 4-2 with Boozer setting the tone, averaging 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists over six games. The numbers weren't flashy for the sake of being flashy. They were just good. Really good.
That's kind of the Boozer experience.
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Ben Golliver of ESPN dubs him the Summer League MVP, and it's easy to see why.
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At 6-foot-9, Boozer has the size and strength to punish smaller defenders inside, and he showed a polished scoring touch when teams gave him those opportunities. He moved the ball, found better spots and really let the game come to him.
That part might be what separates him most.
Boozer sees the floor like a player who's been around much longer than he has. He makes the extra pass, somehow finds teammates across the court and understands when a defense is leaning one way ahead of time. There are plenty of talented players who can get buckets. Fewer know how to control a game.
The Grizzlies also surrounded him with NBA talent, including Cedric Coward, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Taylor Hendricks and Javon Small, and Boozer found the right balance between shooting and defending.
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Summer League doesn't mean everything. But it meant a lot for Boozer and his place in the NBA.
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