Columbus basketball stars Cameron and Cayden Boozer named McDonald’s All-Americans
Cameron and Cayden Boozer arrived at Columbus High School four years ago with big dreams and big plans.
They have since transformed the Explorers into a national powerhouse which has already won three consecutive state championships, is two wins away from a fourth and hopes to make history on a national level in a little over a month if it can win a national title.
But the mark they have left on the school won’t be forgotten.
Columbus made sure of that even more on Friday when they surprised the senior twins with the news that they would be the first athletes in school history to have their jersey numbers retired.
“We really appreciate Columbus because they welcomed us and you really can feel the brotherhood here,” Cameron Boozer said. “When you’re here you do things on campus and do things off campus. You got to the doctor, the dentist or wherever, you see Columbus alums.”
And the announcement came moments after Cameron and Cayden were officially presented with their jerseys for the upcoming McDonald’s All-American Game at a ceremony in the Columbus gym on Friday afternoon. The Boozers are the first Columbus basketball players to ever be chosen for the event and are believed to be the first sibling tandem from Dade to earn the honor.
Cameron and Cayden, who are both headed to play at Duke University starting this fall, are each having a final stellar season together for the Explorers.
Cameron, a five-star prospect ranked No. 3 overall in the nation and the top power forward in the nation by 247Sports, will enter the state tournament averaging 22.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Cayden, a four-star prospect ranked 24th overall by 247Sports and the No. 4 point guard in the nation, is averaging 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
“It’s going to be awesome. So many amazing players have worn those jerseys from LeBron (James), KD (Kevin Durant), Michael Jordan and to be able to be one of those people and be remembered in that light is amazing,” Cayden Boozer said. “I can’t wait to play in that game.”
The 48th annual McDonald’s All-American Game will be played Tuesday, April 1 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
It’ll be part of an action-packed week for the Boozers as they and their Columbus teammates are expected to be playing for a national title as part of the Chipotle Nationals tournament on April 3-5 in Fishers, Indiana.
“Our goal is still to win state and nationals,” Cayden Boozer said. “These accomplishments are great but the main goal is still the main goal.”
The Explorers (25-3) are ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps, and vying to become the first Miami-Dade County boys’ basketball team to finish the season voted a national champion.
Columbus must first secure a fourth consecutive state championship, which it will try to do March 7-8 in Lakeland in the Class 7A state final four. Following the Explorers’ 74-44 victory over Miami High on Thursday night, they are set to face Sanford Seminole on March 7 at 11 a.m. in a state semifinal. If they win, they’d advance to play either Windermere or Sarasota in the final the next day at 1 p.m.
“(Playing in the McDonald’s All-American Game) has been a goal for a long time and we’re super grateful for it,” Cameron Boozer said. “But it’s still important for us to focus. We need to win a couple more games this year.”
