Xavier Booker

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Xavier Booker

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| team = UCLA Bruins

| number =

| position = Center

| league = Big Ten Conference

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 220

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|9|9}}

| birth_place = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

| high_school = Cathedral
(Indianapolis, Indiana)

| college =

Michigan State (2023–2025)
UCLA (2025–present)

| highlights =

McDonald's All-American (2023)
Jordan Brand Classic (2023)

}}

Xavier Ellis Booker (born September 9, 2004) is an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Big Ten Conference. He previously played for the Michigan State Spartans. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class.

Early life and high school career

Booker grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended Cathedral High School.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2022/10/michigan-state-hits-recruiting-trail-to-extend-more-offers-in-2024-class.html|title=Michigan State hits recruiting trail to extend more offers in 2024 class|first=Kyle|last=Austin|website=MLive.com|date=October 4, 2022|access-date=February 23, 2023}}{{cite web |last=Witz |first=Billy |date=July 6, 2022 |title=Xavier Booker Shows the Shoe Recruit Circuit Isn’t the Only Path |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/sports/ncaabasketball/college-recruiting.html |access-date=February 22, 2023 |work=The New York Times}} A {{convert|6|ft|10|in|m|adj=on}} center, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game as a junior as Cathedral won the Class 4A state championship.{{cite web |last=Crawford |first=Kirkland |date=January 24, 2023 |title=Michigan State's Xavier Booker, Jeremy Fears: McDonald's All-Americans |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2023/01/24/michigan-state-basketball-xavier-booker-jeremy-fears-mcdonalds-all-americans/69837966007/ |access-date=February 21, 2023 |work=Detroit Free Press}} Booker was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.{{cite web|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2023/01/24/mcdonalds-all-american-game-xavier-booker-makes-boys-roster-cathedral-indianapolis-michigan-state/69838091007/|title=McDonald's All American game: Xavier Booker makes boys roster|first=Kyle|last=Neddenriep|work=Indianapolis Star|date=January 24, 2023|access-date=February 21, 2023}} He was also named the Indianapolis City Co-Player of the Year.{{cite web |last=Neddenriep |first=Kyle |date=February 27, 2023 |title=IHSAA basketball: Booker, Briscoe share City Player of the Year honors from coaches |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2023/02/27/ihsaa-basketball-all-city-team-booker-briscoe-share-player-of-year/69948282007/ |access-date=February 28, 2023 |work=Indianapolis Star}}

=Recruiting=

Booker was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, according to major recruiting services.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/indiana/basketball/five-star-cathedral-forward-xavier-booker-visits-indiana-university-and-head-coach-mike-woodson|title=Five-Star Cathedral Forward Xavier Booker Visits Indiana Wednesday|first=Jack|last=Ankony|website=SI.com|date=June 15, 2022|access-date=February 21, 2023}}{{cite web |last=Jardy |first=Adam |date=June 10, 2022 |title=Xavier Booker: Top-5 recruit camps at Ohio State, talks Buckeyes |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2022/06/10/ohio-state-basketball-recruiting-indianapolis-cathedral-star-xavier-booker/7576553001/ |access-date=February 23, 2023 |work=The Columbus Dispatch}} On July 30, 2022, he committed to playing college basketball for Michigan State over offers from Auburn, Duke, Cincinnati, Gonzaga, Indiana, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Purdue.{{cite web |last1=Borzello |first1=Jeff |last2=Biancardi |first2=Paul |authorlink2=Paul Biancardi |date=July 30, 2022 |title=Fast-rising forward Xavier Booker commits to Michigan State Spartans basketball |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/34318443 |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=ESPN.com}}

{{College Athlete Recruit Entry

| recruit = Xavier Booker

| position = C

| hometown = Indianapolis, IN

| highschool = Cathedral (IN)

| feet = 6

| inches = 10

| weight = 210

| 40 =

| commitdate = July 30, 2022

| scout stars =

| rivals stars = 5

| 247 stars = 5

| espn stars = 5

| espn grade = 90

}}

{{College Athlete Recruit End

| 40 =

| year = 2023

| rivals ref title = Michigan 2023 Basketball Commitments

| scout ref title =

| espn ref title = 2023 Michigan State Spartans Recruiting Class

| rivals school = michiganstate

| scout s =

| espn schoolid = 127

| 247 overall = 11

| rivals overall = 16

| espn overall = 16

| accessdate = October 17, 2023

| bball = yes

}}

College career

Booker enrolled at Michigan State University shortly after graduating high school in May 2023.{{cite web|url=https://spartanswire.usatoday.com/2023/05/31/look-5-star-xavier-booker-has-arrived-to-east-lansing/|title=LOOK: 5-star Xavier Booker has arrived to East Lansing|first=Cory|last=Linsner|website=Spartans Wire|publisher=USA Today|date=May 31, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023}} In his freshman season, he appeared in 27 games and made two starts, averaging 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://michiganstate.rivals.com/news/msu-forward-former-five-star-xavier-booker-enters-transfer-portal|title=MSU forward, former five-star Xavier Booker enters transfer portal|first=Brendan|last=Moore|website=Spartans Illustrated|date=April 1, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}} In his sophomore season, he averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 33 appearances, including 3 starts.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2025/03/future-uncertain-for-michigan-state-sophomore-a-former-5-star-prospect.html?outputType=amp|title=Future uncertain for Michigan State sophomore, a former 5-star prospect|first=Andrew|last=Kahn|website=MLive.com|date=March 31, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}} On April 1, 2025, Booker announced he would be entering the NCAA transfer portal,{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/mens-college-basketball/news/michigan-states-tre-holloman-and-xavier-booker-enter-transfer-portal|title=Future uncertain for Michigan State sophomore, a former 5-star prospect|website=NBC Sports|date=April 1, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}} and on April 4, he announced he would officially be transferring to UCLA with two years of college eligibility remaining.{{cite web|url= https://www.wilx.com/2025/04/04/former-michigan-state-forward-xavier-booker-announces-his-next-team/|title=Former Michigan State forward Xavier Booker announces his next team|first=Ben|last=Shockley|website=WILX.com|date=April 4, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}}