Xavier Booker working out with former MSU star Jaren Jackson Jr.

Xavier Booker is gearing up for his sophomore campaign with Michigan State basketball. His game and body resemble former Spartan and Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. Ironically, Jackson appears to have hit the gym with Booker.

Michigan State needs rising sophomore Xavier Booker to take some big steps this offseason, especially if he is going to be in the starting lineup come the 2024-25 season. He has been making some big strides during the offseason already, as he has been seen putting in work on his body, as he clearly showed in his freshman season that he needed to add weight to his body.

Booker has taken it one step further, as according to a post on Jaren Jackson Jr.'s Instagram that was later shared to X by @JarenJJMuse, the pair have been hitting the gym together.

That is a big bonus for Booker, whose game and body type are very similar to Jackson's. Jaren was a rim protector for the Spartans in his lone season in East Lansing with 106 blocks. He also showcased his 3-point shooting ability. Being able to block shots, go out the 3-point line, and shoot only helps Michigan State. Booker spent most of his minutes last season on the 3-point line, shooting close to 34 percent from beyond the arc.

Working with Jackson is definitely a positive sign for the Spartans. Jackson's one issue in college was his overaggressiveness near the rim, where he got into foul trouble. We didn't get to see Booker enough last season to know if he could have the same issues, but if he can develop his defense in the post, his length will serve him well as a shot-blocker.

That is something the Spartans have lacked since Xavier Tillman left.

The fact that Booker has been working in the gym with jackson is a very promising sign. I can't wait to see if it pays off this season.

If Booker can be anywhere near what Jackson was in his freshman season, man, Tom Izzo has something special.