Cameron Boozer stays No. 1 as Memphis’ fast start and rookie surge keep reshuffling the ladder

Cameron Boozer did more than pad his own numbers last week. He gave Memphis the kind of complete game that can separate one rookie from the rest of a crowded field, and NBA.com rewarded that by keeping him No. 1 on its Nov. 4 Kia Rookie Ladder for a second straight week.

The ranking is not a final prize, only an early-season snapshot, but the case for Boozer is getting harder to ignore. He is averaging 17.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists, one of only two players in the league at that point to clear 17 points, 10 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Among rookies, he leads in double-doubles with three, rebounds per game and plus-minus at plus-6.4 per game among those who have played more than one contest.

The week that kept him atop the ladder was built around a triple-double against Portland. Boozer finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range in a Memphis victory. That was his first triple-double and, at 19 years and 103 days old, it made him the second-youngest player ever to record one.

That is the kind of line that influences a weekly ranking in a way raw scoring totals alone do not. Boozer’s production has come with enough balance to show up across the box score, and Memphis has benefited from that versatility. The Grizzlies are 6-1, and the ladder writeup specifically tied his standing to winning as well as output.

NBA.com’s framing matters here. The piece said the rookie class is deep enough that ranking the top performers has become difficult this early, then noted that there cannot be three or four players all occupying No. 1. In that setting, Boozer’s edge came from both his numbers and his team’s record. That is a real distinction in a week when several first-year players have posted standout games.

The larger context is just as favorable to the class as a whole. The article said rookies have already combined for six 30-point performances, including a rookie-best 38-point game, along with one triple-double and seven double-doubles. Three rookies have hit at least six 3-pointers in a game, and six are logging at least 30 minutes per night. It is an early but clear sign that the 2026 draft class is producing immediately rather than waiting to settle in.

Boozer is not carrying that burden alone. Yaxel Lendeborg holds the No. 2 spot on the ladder after a strong start of his own, and the article highlights other big nights around the league to support the idea that the class is already making its presence felt. But Boozer remains the name at the top because his game has been the most complete so far, and because Memphis has kept converting that production into wins.

For now, the practical consequence is simple: Boozer stays where he started, and the rest of the rookie class keeps chasing him. The next update will arrive after another week of games, and the ladder will again test whether anyone can close the gap.