Ranking the Contenders: Four-star Xavier Booker
One of the hottest prospects in the class of 2023, Xavier Booker has made a sizable splash on the spring grassroots season and is poised for a rankings bump because of it. Booker’s recruitment is becoming a bit more crowded by the day, but a handful of programs have separated themselves as serious threats to land the impressive big man.
Today, Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy ranks the contenders to land Booker, who is yet to officially narrow his list or set a time table for a commitment.
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2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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1. MICHIGAN STATE
The pace at which things have moved between Booker and Michigan State is encouraging for Spartan fans, as the program was able to get the 6-foot-11 prospect on campus almost immediately after head coach Tom Izzo prioritized his games at a weekend grassroots event.
Booker is arguably the most important prospect the program is recruiting this cycle and has been treated as such for the past month or so. Holding off the in-state Hoosiers might be a chore, as will beating out other big-name programs that may offer in the future.
That said, Booker’s official visit to East Lansing seems to have gone particularly well, and it feels like the Spartans are now firmly in the driver’s seat. Assistant coach Mark Montgomery is heading up Michigan State’s pursuit of Booker, and the two have already forged a strong bond. Booker has visited East Lansing on at least four occasions, so there’s plenty of reason to believe MSU has a leg up.
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2. INDIANA
Indiana's in-state allure can’t be ignored and the Hoosiers impressed during the four-star prospect’s October official visit. IU has stayed heavily involved with him since and is still a major player in his process. Mike Woodson and assistant Kenya Hunter were present at Booker’s AAU games during the recent live period and have kept the school in the thick of the hunt despite rapidly rising interest in the junior big man.
Booker’s size and ability to shoot it from deep fit what Woodson says he’s looking for this offseason, so that’s a point in the Hoosiers’ favor. It’s also important to keep in mind that Indiana has been recruiting the standout since June of last year and were among the first schools to prioritize him.
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3. MICHIGAN
The Wolverines are currently working to get Booker on an official visit. It seems as though that might eventually take place, but no date has been set. The Wolverines offered the four-star prospect in March and made an impact at the time. The Michigan staff is using a Hunter Dickinson comparison to entice Booker, and such a pitch seems to have given the touted center plenty to consider.
If an official visit does take place, Juwan Howard’s program could insert itself in the thick of things. Until then, however, they seem to be running in a somewhat distant third. Michigan is a relatively recent offer, so a bond between the player and the program is still being formed.
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4. A MYSTERY PROGRAM
Booker’s emergence as one of the spring’s biggest stock risers has attracted added attention and new college opportunities at a blistering pace. His play in early grassroots events has been beyond impressive and suggests that he may not be done collecting offers.
Miami, Creighton and Michigan are among the programs that have recently made things official. Duke and Gonzaga are also starting to sniff around. Should the Blue Devils or Bulldogs get involved, the picture of Booker’s recruitment could change in a hurry.
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5. PURDUE
The Boilermakers are a bit of a long shot, but received a visit last year so leaving them off the list entirely didn’t seem prudent. If Booker is to select an in-state school, Indiana would likely be the choice, but stranger things have happened in recruiting.
Purdue will likely host Booker for an official visit this fall and could shoot up this list if things go well at that time.