Penn State basketball set to welcome Carey Booth, '23 forward, for official visit
The Penn State men’s basketball program is welcoming an important prospect in its Class of 2023 recruiting efforts for an official visit this week.
Carey Booth, a 6-foot-10, 195-pound big man from Englewood, Colorado, is set for an official visit to Penn State beginning Tuesday evening and running through Thursday. He is the son of Calvin Booth, the general manager of the Denver Nuggets and a Penn State basketball alumnus boasting a 10-year NBA career.
Last month, Booth reported hearing the most in his recruitment from Stanford, Minnesota, and Penn State, each of whom has offered a scholarship. Other programs reported to have offered include Texas Tech, Xavier, Wake Forest, Northwestern, Marquette, Iowa, and Oklahoma State, according to On3 reporter Jamie Shaw.
“I want to go somewhere where a coach will give you the freedom to play,” Booth told On3. “The freedom to play through mistakes. I want to be coached hard and develop as a player. Winning is big for me. I want to go somewhere that wins games.”
For Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry and the Nittany Lion program, ultimately making Booth a part of the Class of 2023 is a high priority to ensure the program can do exactly that.
Scouting Carey Booth
The scout on Booth is enticing for many programs, including Penn State, for its versatility. Capable of hitting 3-pointers as an outside shooter, Booth’s size – though still somewhat thin – also provides rim protection defensively.
From Jamie Shaw’s April update:
“Carey Booth has a long and lanky frame with natural athleticism. He plays with a high motor, creating multiple chase-down and weakside blocks. Booth knocked down three or four threes in both games we watched; the release was consistent and high. Booth is still raw as he will need to continue tightening his ball skills and shot selection. He will also need to continue adding weight. However, the intrigue comes with his ability to knock down threes and protect the rim. Continue building on that, and there could be a long and productive career in store.”
And, from his update just days earlier from the Under Armour Circuit, Shaw had this to say about his initial impressions of Booth:
“Just watching Carey Booth, he is like a baby deer at this point. You can see the majestic glimpses of what he could be, but it is intertwined with some ‘what are you doing’ moments. This is the type of big you pay close attention to. The skill that never wavered was his motor. Booth finished with multiple chase-down blocks and out-of-area rebounds in our initial game with him.
“The intrigue comes in that he also knocked down five threes. Now, he fell in love with the three-ball and took a couple bad ones. He scored either on lob plays or over his left shoulder the few times he went to the block. He is still a bit raw; there is clear upside here. This sleeper should be recruited as a top 150 type player.
Next steps for Penn State
As for Booth’s own perception of his game and what he brings to the floor, the energy that he displayed is something he wants everyone to see.
“I’m trying to be the guy who brings the energy to the floor,” Booth told On3. “I can shoot, but I want that to be the last thing people talk about. I want to be active on the boards, block shots and do the other stuff that brings energy to the game and helps my teammates out. I’m playing with more physicality now, and I am a high-level shooter; it’s really tightened up. I watch a lot of Evan Mobley and Anthony Davis. They have similar bodies and frames to me; I watch how they impact the game on defense.”
Booth’s visit to Penn State is set to run from Tuesday evening through Thursday.
