Cameron Boozer’s emotional introduction to the NBA fittingly came alongside the older brother whose life he once helped save.
‘Yeah, I mean, it’s my moment, but it’s our moment,’ the 18-year-old told ESPN’s Pam Oliver while surrounded by his family at Tuesday’s NBA Draft in Brooklyn, where he was picked third overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.
The 6ft 9in Duke forward’s best-known relatives are his father Carlos, a former NBA star, and his fraternal twin, Cayden, his long-time high school and college teammate. But it wasn’t Cayden or Carlos who Oliver wanted to discuss on Tuesday night, but rather Cameron’s older brother, Carmani.
As Carlos told The Associated Press while playing with the Utah Jazz in 2008, Carmani’s 2006 birth was complicated by his diagnosis with sickle cell anemia, an inherited blood disorder. Sufferers typically survive to adulthood, but often have a much lower life expectancy than their peers.
To save Carmani from a similar fate, Carlos and his then-wife CeCe used the 2007 birth of their twins to provide the umbilical cord blood stem cells and bone marrow transplants that would help to their eldest’s life.
‘Being able to see everything he does, works hard, and shows up,’ Carmani said of Cameron on Tuesday night, ‘I couldn’t be more proud of someone, and to be able to call [him] my little brother is amazing.’
Cameron Boozer (lower left) is pictured with brothers Carmani (top left) and Cayden (top right) as well as their parents, Carlos and his now-former wife, CeCe (lower right)
Carlos Boozer is seen with sons Carmani (left), Cameeron and Cayden in April of 2010
The family first revealed the story when Carlos was a budding NBA star in Utah, telling The Associated Press that they decided to create a donor for young Carmani by producing their own through in-vitro fertilization.
Two of the healthy embryos they created were implanted, resulting in the twins’ birth in July of 2007.
After Carmani had chemotherapy to attack his sickle-cell producing bone marrow, he was injected with stem cells from one twin’s umbilical cord to stimulate the growth of new bone marrow in the hope it will produce healthy blood cells.
‘I think it’s really just faith over fear,’ CeCe, who has since divorced Carlos, told ESPN on Tuesday. ‘So, you know, we battled that adversity as a family, and now we get to celebrate as a family, and be here to watch Cameron, and I just couldn’t be more proud.’
Carlos echoed his ex-wife’s sentiment.
‘First, I’m proud of him,’ the 44-year-old Carlos said. ‘Like the dedication, you heard Carmani talk about it, his sacrifice. He shows up every single day. I’m just happy for him, man.’
Carlos then shared a message directly to Cameron: ‘Take each moment, enjoy each moment. Obviously, be where your feet are. This something you’ve been waiting for your entire life, and go enjoy it, man. Go enjoy it.’
The Boozer twins were two of the top recruits in the country before committing to Duke
Cameron and Cayden Boozer, front row, from left, with their family during their signing ceremony at Columbus High School on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Miami
Sickle cell is a devastating inherited disease of deformed red blood cells that can’t carry enough oxygen, common among people with ancestors from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
The abnormal red blood cells — shaped like a sickle or crescent — and have difficulty moving through the blood stream. Complications can include intense pain, stroke, organ damage and death.
Bone-marrow transplants have been successful in curing the disease, but it is a risky procedure because the chemotherapy wipes out the immune system. In infants, the risks are even greater.
Cameron was the college player of the year in his one season at Duke after averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Cayden is staying at Duke, where he is expected to crack the starting lineup in 2026-27.
