Ever since getting benched against Ohio State, former Michigan State big man Xavier Booker has been gaining confidence.
The now-UCLA big man was averaging 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in the four games leading up to Tuesday’s battle with Rutgers. It looked like he learned from some of Michigan State’s mistakes against the Scarlet Knights, torching them for a career-high 24 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists, and a block.
The best part of his stat line? He shot 10-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-4 from deep. He was pretty much as good as it gets on the offensive end.
This was the exact type of game Michigan State fans expected from Booker on the regular when he committed to the Spartans as a five-star and one of the best recruits in the 2023 class. While everyone knew he’d be a bit of a project, his ceiling was a legit Big Ten Player of the Year guy, or so we thought.
Booker struggled in Tom Izzo’s system, and thought his best opportunity to play starters minutes was to transfer out and look for a fresh start elsewhere.
Now he’s trying to find his footing under Mick Cronin at UCLA.
Xavier Booker and what could’ve been at Michigan State
When Booker committed to Michigan State, he was one of the fastest-risers in the 2023 class, and he was joining one of the best recruiting classes that Izzo had ever pieced together. He was thought to be the missing piece after Izzo had already landed Jeremy Fears and he also joined Coen Carr and Gehrig Normand.
Unfortunately, that class didn’t quite pan out. Fears is an All-American-caliber point guard and Carr is looking like a potential future NBA player, but Booker transferred out and so did Normand.
Booker showed flashes of what he could do at Michigan State, but he could never quite remain consistent or engaged. He drew the ire of Michigan State fans who wanted Jaren Jackson Jr. 2.0, but he and Izzo seemingly left on good terms.
The former five-star never got to live up to his billing in East Lansing, and in a couple of weeks, he’ll have a chance to steal a win on the campus he once called home.