Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, is now the recipient of the ultimate college sports trivia question after Duke star Cameron Boozer was named the Naismith Men’s College National Player of the Year on Sunday.

During the 2021-22 academic year, Columbus High School had an enrollment of about 1,700 students. One of them was Boozer, the winner of the top honor in college basketball. Another was former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy less than four months ago.

Boozer beat out Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg for the Naismith. He is Duke’s second Naismith winner in as many seasons after Cooper Flagg won the honor in 2025. For the season, Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, who led the Wildcats to their first Final Four in 25 years, was named Naismith Coach of the Year, also on Sunday. 

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When Boozer and his twin brother Cayden were freshmen, Fernando was a senior. The Boozer brothers didn’t talk to Fernando much in high school — likely due to the age gap — but they were friends with Fernando’s younger brother, Alberto Mendoza. Before Duke faced UConn in the Elite Eight last weekend, Boozer spoke to a small group of reporters in Washington, D.C., and was asked about his relationship with the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“I never really talked to him,” Boozer said. “I know his younger brother Alberto because he’s 2024. From what I’ve heard from everyone, he’s a great dude, same thing with Alberto. Great dude. Great guys. Great family. I’m proud of everything that they have accomplished. It’s impressive to go undefeated and win a national championship and win the Heisman. Shoutout, Columbus man. They have a lot of big-time people come out of this school. Super proud of everything they’re representing. They’re representing our school and Miami well. Great people, super proud of them.”

The younger Mendoza was a sophomore when the Boozer brothers were in their first year of school. With Boozer capturing the Naismith and Mendoza winning the Heisman, it marks the first time classmates from the same high school have won the award in the same year.

Some notable alumni from Columbus High School outside of the Boozer and Mendoza brothers include Miami coach Mario Cristobal, former NFL quarterback Brian Griese and former Alabama football coach Mike Shula. With Boozer also projected as one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, he and Mendoza have the chance to climb the ranks as the school’s most famous alumni.

One high school that joins Columbus in producing a Heisman winner and Naismith National Player of the Year is Helix High School in Southern California. Helix produced Bill Walton (three-time winner of the award, 1972-74) and Reggie Bush, the winner of the 2005 Heisman Trophy. Bush had his award taken away for 14 years due to an NCAA investigation that found he received improper benefits.

Boozer and Mendoza took opposite paths to stardom

The journeys Boozer and Mendoza took to reach the peak of their respective college sports are the polar opposite of one another.

Boozer, the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, was always considered a can’t-miss prospect dating back to his freshman year. Mendoza was the opposite. He was a three-star recruit in the 247Sports rankings coming out of high school and had just one power conference offer. 

The one offer Mendoza did have coming out of high school was Cal. He ended up redshirting during the 2022 season and didn’t get his shot as a starter until the 2023 season. During his two years at Cal, Mendoza showed promise. But still, the thought of him becoming a Heisman Trophy winner and the projected top pick in the NFL Draft was incomprehensible just a few years ago.

But when Mendoza transferred to Indiana, everything changed. He elevated the program to heights it had never seen before, which included a perfect 16-0 season and a win over Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in the College Football Playoff title game, just over 20 miles from where he attended high school.

Boozer was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school after he finished his career by winning four consecutive state championships with his brother by his side. Long before the 2025-26 college basketball season happened, the 2026 NBA Draft was considered a very strong class, in part because Boozer was in it. Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, was also in the same high school recruiting class as Boozer before reclassifying.

When the NBA Draft takes place this summer, Boozer will more than likely be one of the first three players selected. He is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick alongside Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson after posting one of the best one-and-done seasons of the modern era.

Above all else, the fact that a high school in South Florida produced the best player in college football and basketball this season is an incredible accomplishment that might not happen again.