2023 forward/center Xavier Booker flashed moments of brilliance at the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas. The Indianapolis product made the top 60 all-star game, a significant feat for a rising junior. Indiana Basketball Source spoke with the Cathedral and G3 All-Indy product about the event and his recruitment.

 

Booker had a great spring with G3 All-Indy. The rising junior went from little college interest to scholarship offers from LSU, IUPUI, TCU, and Purdue. Booker’s offer sheet will continue to grow as his production becomes more consistent. The Pangos All-American Camp showed Booker what the top players in the country look like.

 

“It’s been fun,” Booker said during the second day of the camp. “I’ve experienced a lot of things. I’ve been able to play with the number two player in the country, Jalen Duren. So everything has been fun and a good experience.

 

“I think I’ll be able to learn how to play against better competition and older guys.”

 

There were many great power forward and center prospects at the camp. Duren, Dereck Lively II, Vince Iwuchukwu, Kel’el Ware, Ernest Udeh, Lee Dort, Baye Fall, Yohan Traore, and Jayden Hastings also performed well at the camp and presented Booker with a significant challenge each game.

 

Booker visited Purdue last week. That is when the Boilermakers extended an offer to the 2023 prospect. He said he did not have much of a relationship with the Purdue coaching staff before the visit, but they showed him the campus and talked about making academics a priority for their players.

 

Ohio State, Indiana, Louisville, and Kansas State are his next campus stops in June. Much like Purdue, Booker stated he does not have much of a relationship with the Buckeye staff.

 

There are few players in the 2023 class nationally with the tools of Booker. He is 6’10” with extremely long arms. He is mobile and gets off the floor well, but his best attribute is his shooting. The lefty features a smooth, consistent shot. He is the modern center that blocks shots and pops to the three-point line while still scoring above the rim.

 

In terms of what Booker wants to show the rest of the summer, he pointed out a few things he is trying to focus on.

 

“Mainly me pushing the ball up the court and making smart decisions along with my shooting.”

 

If things like physicality and motor click for Booker, his ceiling is a top 25 national prospect. He needs to embrace contact and eliminate the times he is going through the motions, but Booker’s potential is off the charts, and he keeps inching closer to it.