Ohio State makes list for five-star center prospect Xavier Booker
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is in the running to land one of the country’s best prospects and a potential program-changer.
Five-star Cathedral (Indianapolis, Indiana) center Xavier Booker released his top 10 schools and the Buckeyes made the cut.
The 6-foot-10, 205-pound big man also included Michigan State, Michigan, Auburn, Gonzaga, Purdue, Notre Dame, Oregon, Cincinnati and Indiana.
Booker has built his relationship with coach Chris Holtmann steadily over the last year when the two first made initial contact. Holtmann and assistant coach Jake Diebler have been after the No. 1 rated player in Indiana since last June when the Buckeyes had Booker on campus for an unofficial visit.
Xavier Booker, the No. 8 rated overall player in the 2023 cycle according to On3, has seen his recruitment pick up plenty of steam over the last year. He lead his high school team to a state championship victory and continues to be a force in summer ball both last year and this year.
Booker has been pursued by some of the premier programs in the country and it shows in his trimmed list, especially with Big Ten rivals Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue and Indiana. Booker took official visits to East Lansing, West Lafayette and Bloomington.
He is scheduled for an official visit to Ohio State on September 3.
Xavier Booker has made mentioned that he thinks he could make a serious impact for the Buckeyes the moment he steps onto campus. He’s been compared to former Buckeye and current San Antonio Spur EJ Liddel, and Booker has the raw talent and size to become a marquee addition to Holtmann’s program.
“It’s a huge program nationally,” he said.
Booker and Diebler are in contact weekly in order to maintain the relationship. Booker says the relationship is “great” and it shows with Ohio State making the cut.
Booker doesn’t have any set plans to make another trimmed list or announced a commitment date, and until then, the Buckeyes are in a good position to continue landing the talented rising senior.
