Cameron Boozer Rookie Cards: Game-Winner Sparks 2026 NBA Rookie Start

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer hit the go-ahead jumper with 20 seconds left as Memphis rallied past Golden State 111-108 on Friday, Oct. 23, finishing with 25 points and 13 rebounds, according to the Associated Press. The No. 3 pick's big night headlined a fast start for the 2026 NBA Draft class, which also saw Sacramento's Darius Acuff Jr. score 33 points the same night.

Key points

• Cameron Boozer posted 25 points and 13 rebounds and hit the winning shot in a 111-108 Grizzlies win at Golden State on Oct. 23 (AP).
• Memphis closed the game on a 17-0 run after trailing 106-94 with 3:47 left, per AP.
• Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 33 points (10-of-26 FG, 11-of-12 FT) in a 128-120 loss to Portland (NBC Sports, ESPN).
• Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had 18 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in his home debut (AP).
• All of these rookies are on the 2026-27 Topps Basketball base checklist, which Checklist Insider lists for a Nov. 5 hobby release.

What happened in Cameron Boozer's game-winner vs. the Warriors?

Golden State led 90-84 after three quarters and was up 106-94 with under four minutes to go. The Warriors then went cold, missing nine straight shots and failing to make another field goal, while Memphis ran off 17 straight points. After Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski missed 3-point tries, Boozer knocked down the go-ahead jumper with 20 seconds left, AP reported.

Ty Jerome led Memphis with 28 points two nights after a career-high 45 in the opener. Curry scored 24 for Golden State. Boozer was the pick to win Rookie of the Year in the 2026-27 NBA GM Survey, according to NBA.com's Kia Rookie Ladder.

How are the other 2026 NBA rookies doing?

Sports Illustrated's opening-week rookie check highlighted several strong starts:

• Darius Acuff Jr. (Kings, No. 7 pick): 33 points on 26 shots vs. Portland on Oct. 23, with 4 assists and 2 threes, per NBC Sports. Sacramento lost 128-120 and fell to 0-2 (ESPN).
• Caleb Wilson (Bulls, No. 4 pick): 21 points on 50% shooting with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in a 7-point win over Milwaukee, per SI.
• Yaxel Lendeborg (Warriors, No. 11 pick): 18 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals against Boozer's Grizzlies. AP noted Golden State started two rookies in a home opener for the first time since the NBA began tracking starters in 1970-71.
• AJ Dybantsa (Wizards, No. 1 pick): Has not debuted yet. NBA.com reported a sprained left ankle that kept him out of the opener.

Next up: the Grizzlies were scheduled to visit Sacramento on Sunday night, Oct. 25, per AP, putting Boozer and Acuff on the same floor.

Which Cameron Boozer and Acuff rookie cards are coming?

The first big licensed NBA set for this class is 2026-27 Topps Basketball. Checklist Insider lists Boozer (#258), Acuff (#262), Lendeborg (#266), Darryn Peterson (#257), Dybantsa (#256) and Wilson (#259) in the 300-card base set, with hobby, jumbo and blaster boxes dated Nov. 5, 2026 and megas on Nov. 12. Hobby boxes carry one autograph or relic, and jumbo boxes carry one auto and one relic. The checklist is marked subject to change. Track dates on our sports card release calendar and read our full 2026-27 Topps Basketball checklist guide.

Collectors who want Boozer now can look at his college cards. Checklist Insider's 2025-26 Bowman University Best checklist includes Boozer's Duke base card (#69) and a Game Graphs card, plus Peterson, Dybantsa and Wilson. Acuff and Lendeborg are not listed in that set.

FAQ

What did Cameron Boozer score against the Warriors?
25 points and 13 rebounds, including the go-ahead jumper with 20 seconds left in a 111-108 win on Oct. 23, 2026 (AP).

When does 2026-27 Topps Basketball come out?
Checklist Insider lists Nov. 5, 2026 for hobby, jumbo and blaster, and Nov. 12 for mega boxes. Dates can shift, so check our release calendar.

Has AJ Dybantsa played yet?
Not as of SI's Oct. 25 update. He has been out with an ankle sprain from the preseason.

Sources: Associated Press via ABC News; Sports Illustrated; NBC Sports; ESPN; NBA.com Kia Rookie Ladder; Checklist Insider: 2026-27 Topps Basketball; Checklist Insider: 2025-26 Bowman University Best.