4-star Xavier Booker talks Michigan State, Michigan, and timeline
Xavier Booker is a wanted and busy man. The 6-foot-11 center out of Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral has seen a total of ten college campuses within the past year. The following schools have hosted Booker on campus — Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Iowa, Kansas State, and Louisville.
For a detailed college visit tracker for Booker, click here.
Booker is the No. 59 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
On3 recently caught up with the big man to get the latest on his recruitment and to see which schools are keeping in the most contact.
“Definitely Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Iowa, just the whole Big Ten really,” Booker said of the schools he hears from the most.
Michigan State making its presence known
Speaking of Michigan State, Booker is currently on an official visit to the Spartans (4/16). This is the fourth known time he’s visited East Lansing — more than any other school.
“I have a great relationship with Coach Montgomery, we can really talk about anything,” Booker said. “I have a good relationship with all the coaches. I really think I fit in at that program. They compare me to guys like Marcus Bingham a lot and I definitely see the resemblance. They also compare me to Jaren Jackson Jr.”
The Spartans have made Booker their top recruit.
The in-state rival
Just across the way, the Michigan Wolverines are also making a push for Xavier Booker. The big man hopes to get on campus in Ann Arbor in the near future.
“I definitely think I could fit in there,” Booker said of Michigan. “Just talking to Juwan Howard over the phone, we have a good relationship already and he compares to me like Hunter Dickinson and those type of guys. He also says that he works with his big guys a lot and I feel like that would be good for me.”
Until Booker steps on campus for a visit, I wouldn’t view the Wolverines as much of a threat.
Next steps
Booker has seen his fair share of schools, visiting many of the programs multiple times. He says he’d also like to see Kansas and Virginia, but the two have yet to offer the big man.
When it comes to a timetable for a decision, Booker says: “It’s been all over the place. I thought I had it a couple of months ago but stuff changes. I talked to my parents about it and I think we are going to wait until the end of the summer or early school year.”
Wrapping it up
The general perception of this recruitment feels like Michigan State. The Spartans have made it known to Booker that he is a must-get for them and he fits their style of play.
However… Duke is the latest school to enter the mix for Booker, per Jeff Rabjohns of 247Sports. As we all know, if the Blue Devils extend an offer, everything could change.