At 6’9”, 266 lbs., Carlos Boozer has powered his way into the NBA elite’s upper echelon. Last month, Boozer was named to the Western Conference NBA All-Star team for the second consecutive year. As an explosive presence in the low post, the Utah Jazz power forward has helped his team to first place in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference after leading the squad to a division title and the Western Conference Finals a season ago. With staggering force, determination, and will to win, Carlos has the Jazz primed for a similar run in the playoffs this year. After his quest for an NBA Championship concludes, the Alaska native has his sights set on competing on an even larger scale — the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Coach K and Team USA cruised through last summer’s FIBA Americas Championship with a perfect 10-0 record. Although Boozer had a spot on the initial 33-man roster, he stayed home with his family to care for his son Carmani, who has been battling sickle cell anemia. As Team USA prepares to play against the world’s best this summer, Boozer could play an integral role in helping Coach K win the Gold medal just seven years after teaming with the Hall of Famer to win the 2001 NCAA title.
In January, USA Basketball Director Jerry Colangelo stated that Boozer will be part of Team USA’s 17 or 18-man training camp in late June. From this camp, the final 12-man roster will be selected. Said Colangelo about Carlos, “His game is something we don’t have much on that roster — you know, a power forward with an inside post-up game. We really wanted him last summer. It would have been a great addition. And he just couldn’t do it.” Additionally, Boozer has the experience of playing in the 2004 Olympics. His background, combined with his robust improvement and success since 2004, could help make Boozer an invaluable contributor for Team USA.
Four years ago in Athens, Carlos was a young, developing talent. Playing behind Tim Duncan, Boozer still managed to provide valuable contributions. Averaging 17 minutes per game, the former Blue Devil was sixth on the team in scoring with 7.6 points per game. Veterans Allen Iverson and Duncan led the team in scoring as emerging stars like Boozer, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire came off the bench. Carlos led the team in rebounds in three of the eight Olympic matchups and was second on the team in rebounding overall. Even more impressive, Boozer was only finishing his sophomore campaign in the NBA.
The two-time All-Star has since experienced leading an NBA team to a division title and conference finals. Boozer’s progression and experience since the Athens games suggest he could add great value to this summer’s gold-medal pursuit. Averaging an identical 34.6 minutes per game, Boozer has increased his total scoring average by 5.4 points, from 15.5 in 2003-04 to 20.9 in 2006-07. Moreover, he improved his average assists (3.0), rebounds (11.7), and field-goal percentage (.561) in the three-year span. The power forward has also battled his way to nine more double-doubles this past season, for a total of 50 in his 77 games played. The 26-year-old Jazz star overcame a pair of injury-plagued seasons (2004-05 and 2005-06) and appears to be approaching the peak of his career.
Boozer has also proven himself as a sensational team player, earning accolades from fellow teammates and coaches. Assistant Coach Tyrone Corbin said of Boozer, “I think first of all, he’s a great individual, he wants to win, he knows how to win, and he’s in great shape himself. He’s a really, really talented guy and just wants to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful.” His sentiments are echoed by that of star teammate Deron Williams, who stated, “He gets me a lot of assists. I can throw it to the big fella and I know he’s going to go to work. Boozer’s played like an All Star, like an MVP in my opinion. He’s a guy who we can just throw the ball into and he’s going to get us baskets. He’s going to be there to rebound for us and he’s a leader on the court.”
Just about the only statistical area in which Team USA did not completely dominate the Americas Championship was in rebounding, ranking second in rebounds per game and last in offensive boards per game. Boozer’s knack for rebounding and scoring around the bucket could help USA excel in the paint. ESPN analyst Kiki Vandeweghe succinctly captures Boozer’s strengths. “He’s emerged as one of the dominant players every night. He’s become such a force on both ends of the court — he’s always been a great rebounder and scorer.”
As Boozer carries the Jazz through the final stretch of the NBA regular season and other Team USA candidates finish out their seasons, Jerry Colangelo and the USA Basketball staff will be closely monitoring the action. Choosing a 12-man team from a rich talent pool boasting some of the world’s best is a huge challenge. Since coming together in 2006, the USA staff has sought to establish a balanced and cohesive roster with strength in all areas of the game as opposed to assembling a group of All-Stars in the weeks leading up to the Olympics.
Should the staff opt to bring Boozer to Beijing, they will add a strong power forward with great hands, a reliable jumper, and a knack for scoring and rebounding. Carlos ranks third in the NBA in field goals made, defensive rebounds, and double-doubles. The former Blue Devil is 14th overall in scoring (21.8 PPG), sixth in rebounding (10.8 RPG) and 10th in field-goal percentage (.549). He also earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors in November and recorded him first career triple-double in the NBA in February (22 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists).
Carlos is looking forward to competing for his spot on the 12-man roster, making an impact in Beijing and reuniting with his college coach. Boozer said about making the Olympic roster, “I’m going to go out there and play hard, and have fun, and hopefully be on the team. Playing for Coach K again, man, that’s something I want.”
