NCAAB Rising Stars: Xavier Booker

The National Collegiate Athletic Association of Basketball is a single-elimination college basketball tournament. It features a total of 68 teams all vying to survive three full weekends of games in March to be crowned the college champions.

Nowadays, “March Madness” is one of the most anticipated basketball events with millions of fans tuning in from all over the world to witness the teams in action. Yet there are several exceptional players in the NCAAB that enhance the fan excitement for the event.

Michigan State’s Xavier Booker is no exception.

Booker is the type of player that modern NBA scouts tend to drool over. Not only is he a five-star power forward with the athleticism of a pro, but he’s also the fastest-rising (and most exciting) prospect in the country.

You can check out March Madness Odds to discover the predicted odds for Michigan in 2023. Yet if you want to learn more about the player himself, this article will outline everything you need to know!

Key Strengths

Xavier Booker is lean, long, and agile, giving him all of the physical characteristics of a successful player. At 6’11” he has a wingspan and a dynamic athleticism that lends itself well to excellent coordination.

Booker isn’t your typical old-school player but brings a sense of modernism that sees him as comfortable knocking out 3-pointers as he is setting up in the post. He can also shoot cleanly and effortlessly from deep, handle the ball, and finish well around the rim.

Booker also likes to carry out the majority of his damage while facing the rim. As a result of this, he’s an excellent rim protector and does well to keep up with the wings.

Generally, for a player of his size, Booker is a very fluid ball handler. He is a threat to finish lobs and possesses an impressive three-point range on his jump shot.

In terms of his defense, he’s a brilliant side-shot blocker with strong feet that help him to switch and recover when he is in action. This also sets him up well to stay with smaller players when dictated.

The Road to Michigan State

High School

Booker attended Indianapolis-based Cathedral High School which is a private and independent Catholic institution. He put up a total of 12.5 points, 2.3 blocks, and 6.7 rebounds as a junior basketball player.

Although he didn’t make huge numbers for the Fighting Irish, his skills developed as he got older.

He won a state championship with a loaded Cathedral team which was the catalyst for his position as one of the top ten players in his class. He then went on to dominate on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit after achieving MVP honors at the Pangos All American Camp in Las Vegas.

Commitment to Michigan State

Thanks to Booker’s exceptional performance, the number of interested teams rose dramatically – including powerhouses such as Duke and Kansas. Yet it was Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans that won out.

In the summer of 2022, Michigan State University men’s basketball managed to sign five-star player Xavier Booker. The young athlete was the second commit of the 2023 Michigan State recruiting class.

Booker has quickly been skyrocketing through recruiting rankings so his decision to join the Spartans is a brilliant one for his career and for Michigan State itself.

Booker is now a .9991 rated player, ranking him slightly ahead of where Shannon Brown stood as the nation’s No. 4 player with the 2003 Michigan State class.

College Predictions

When it comes to long-term and upside potential, Xavier Booker has just as much as anybody in the class. Moving forward, he should aim to become a little bit more consistent in every move he makes.

Though this inconsistency exists at times, it’s also important to recognize that Booker has already improved significantly over the past few months. If he can make this same level of progress, he’ll easily do some damage throughout his time in college!

What Does This Mean?

With all of his amazing achievements, and the expectations surrounding his performance, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Xavier Booker will be Michigan’s most talented basketball player of all time. Yet when compared to the depth and strength of the 2003 and 2017 classes, respectively, Booker is clearly at the very top of the 2023 class.

Looking to the Future

Of course, there are – and will be – very high expectations for Booker as he moves through his time at MSU. He’s already touted as one of the top national basketball stars for 2023, and we expect that he’ll perform well under this pressure. This is because he possesses the skills to be one of the true greats.

He looks set to prove himself as a brilliant addition to the Spartans — especially as he grows and develops his skills on the court!

Summary

Xavier Booker’s determination, strength, and stamina make him one of the most prominent rising stars in the NCAAB to date. He has lots of playing potential and we can’t wait to see what he does!

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