Grizzlies Land 3rd Pick in 2026 NBA Draft, Projected to Select Cam Boozer

In most years, landing the No. 3 overall pick of the 2026 NBA draft may be seen as something of a disappointment for a given team considering how close it was to grabbing that top pick.

But 2026 is not most years.

The draft class is loaded with playmakers, meaning the Memphis Grizzlies should have the chance to select a future franchise cornerstone after landing the No. 3 pick in Sunday's lottery.

If BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas' Darryn Peterson go with the first two selections, Duke's Cameron Boozer, North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. and Illinois' Keaton Wagler will still be on the board by the time Memphis gets to choose.

The belief here is it will choose Boozer.

The Duke star offers quite a high floor even if questions about his overall defensive ability and athleticism may limit his upside when compared to someone like Wilson. Between Boozer's overall versatility and ability to impact the game in a number of ways, the Grizzlies will not pass on the chance to add the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected Boozer to go No. 3 overall in his most recent mock draft and highlighted Kevin Love as a pro comparison.

It is a fitting comparison, as Love is someone who maybe didn't offer the same upside as others because of athleticism and defensive question marks but still ended up producing at a head-turning level for much of his career.

Cameron Boozer Scores 27 Points vs. UConn Huskies

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Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from deep during his one collegiate season. He was the ACC Player of the Year, the Associated Press Player of the Year, the Naismith Award winner, the Wooden Award winner and a First-Team All-American.

He is a walking double-double who can score on the blocks, hit from deep and set up teammates if defenders collapse on him with impressive passing. That very much describes peak Love as well, and that's not even getting into Boozer's ability to handle the ball if needed.

Memphis may not run its offense through Boozer right away like the Blue Devils did in the ACC, but he has the skill set to handle those additional responsibilities if needed.

The Grizzlies are a team in transition, as star point guard Ja Morant has been rumored to be a potential trade candidate this offseason. Still, Memphis has talented young players like Zach Edey and Cedric Coward who can develop alongside Boozer as the team's rebuild continues.