Duke Rookie Boozer Admits Weakness After Siakam Matchup

Cameron Boozer made a candid admission after facing Pascal Siakam for the first time.

The Memphis Grizzlies rookie said the matchup revealed specific areas he needs to improve.

Boozer spoke after the Grizzlies' 107-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at FedExForum.

He finished with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-5 from three-point range.

He added six rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes.

He committed five turnovers.

He did not attempt a single free throw.

Siakam scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and went 2-of-5 from deep.

He also had five rebounds and two steals — both on Boozer turnovers.

Siakam is in his 11th NBA season.

Boozer saw him across the floor for the first time Wednesday night.

"It was a fun matchup," Boozer said.

"For me, it pointed out some things I could get better at."

"Obviously, he's someone who's been in the league for a long time."

"He's won championships, and he's been a huge contributor to winning teams."

"So it was great to match up with him, and there's a lot of fun out there."

Boozer and the coaching staff plan to review the film before Friday's game.

When asked what he expected from Siakam, Boozer stopped short.

"Oh, man, I'm not going to say that," Boozer explained.

The turnovers were a clear problem.

Five of the Grizzlies' 19 turnovers were Boozer's.

Siakam stole one in the first quarter and another 25 seconds into the second half.

In the fourth quarter, Aaron Nesmith picked off a Boozer pass and dunked to tie the game 82-82.

With 3:05 left, Boozer stole a Quenton Jackson pass.

Four seconds later, Andrew Nembhard stole his pass, and Larry Nance Jr. dunked for a 99-95 Indiana lead.

Boozer identified the fix himself.

"I would just say sometimes it's just playing a little rushed," Boozer said.

"Just got to slow down."

"But [something] I'm going to clean up, [something] I'm going to look at it and get better."

Despite the rough night, Boozer remains the top-ranked rookie in the league.

NBA.com placed him first on the Kia Rookie Ladder in its second ranking of the season.

The 19-year-old is averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.

He is shooting 36.4 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three, and 94.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The efficiency numbers are low, but his all-around production is rare for a rookie.

He leads the Grizzlies in rebounds per game.

He is second on the team in points and assists per game.

Memphis drafted Boozer third overall out of Duke in June 2026.

He played one season with the Blue Devils, winning the AP Player of the Year Award.

At Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

He shot 55.6 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from deep.

He led Duke to a 35-3 record and the NCAA Tournament Regional Final, where they fell to UConn.

Boozer had his first career triple-double at Portland on Oct. 29.

He posted 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 124-103 win.

Two nights before the Siakam matchup, he had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists against New Orleans.

Against Indiana, his first basket was a 24-foot three that gave Memphis a 3-2 lead in the first minute and a half.

Boozer's three-pointer with 46 seconds left cut the Pacers' lead to 104-101.

Indiana held on for the 107-103 win.

Siakam scored five straight Indiana points in the final two minutes.

He hit a 17-footer, a 13-foot pull-up, and a free throw that put the Pacers ahead 104-98 with 1:04 left.

He also assisted on Nesmith's corner three with 14.6 seconds to go.

Officials assessed Siakam a flopping technical in the second quarter.

Boozer's shooting efficiency has been a concern through eight games.