With Cameron Boozer leading the Duke basketball team in the March Madness tournament, he has been considered a top player in the nation, though an ascending talent has been Darius Acuff Jr. of the Arkansas Razorbacks. While Boozer looks to hear his name called on NBA Draft night, Acuff might as well, but this analyst answers who he believes is the ascending player and who is the outright best.
Jay Williams would speak about this difference on ESPN's “First Take,” saying that Acuff is the “hottest” now, having 60 points and 13 assists through the first two contests in March Madness. However, he would go into how Boozer is the “best player in the tournament.”
“Cameron Boozer has been consistently the best player all year long in college basketball, and he might have had a couple of hiccups in his first two games, especially in that first half the other day,” Williams said.
“But when you think about just the level of consistency of excellence, you're talking about a guy shooting 40 percent from the three point line and is 6'9″, 6'10”. A guy that's shooting over 55 percent from the field,” Williams continued. “He almost leads his team in every statistical category. In a way, you're almost looking at what efficiency-wise, he's more efficient than Cooper Flagg was last year in college basketball.”
"I think [Darius Acuff Jr.] is the hottest player in the tournament. I don't think he's the best player in the tournament. I think the best player in the tournament is Cameron Boozer."
—@RealJayWilliams on Darius Acuff Jr. and Cameron Boozer in the men's NCAA tournament 🏀 pic.twitter.com/CMfjwoQEN3
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 26, 2026
Jay Williams speaks more on Cameron Boozer vs. Darius Acuff Jr.
Though Williams may think that Boozer is the best player in the tournament, there's no denying Acuff and how well he's been playing, mentioning how if Arkansas were to beat Arizona on Thursday night, the star's draft stock would rise tremendously.
“His stock is ascending and quickly,” Williams said. “If he beats Arizona, we might be talking about him as a top two or top three pick in the draft. But when I think it comes down to the model of consistency, of being the best player overall, that is Cameron Boozer, in my opinion.”
At any rate, while Acuff on Arkansas takes on Arizona on Thursday night, Boozer and Duke next take on St. John's on Friday night.
