EXCLUSIVE: MSU's Xavier Booker Discusses His Role for Next Season

Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo has big plans for sophomore center Xavier Booker.

Michigan State's Xavier Booker makes a 3-pointer against Ohio State during the first half on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State men's basketball has several returning players who will be looking to take the next step next season.

Perhaps none of the expectations from fans are higher than those for sophomore center Xavier Booker, a key Spartan big man who can stretch the floor.

Booker began to come into his own in the last leg of the Spartans' 2024 season.

"I feel like I've always had a lot of confidence," Booker told Spartan Nation at the 2024 Moneyball Pro-Am on Thursday. "I feel like I just kind of got adjusted to the game, got adjusted to college basketball. Obviously, [I was] a freshman, I'm new to it. So, I feel like, over the season, I kind of got more adjusted to it."

With a season under his belt, Booker is expected to have a much larger role in the 2024-25 season.

"I mean, Coach [Tom Izzo], he has me as one of the main guys on the team next year -- me and Jaden [Akins]," Booker said. "He has me and Jaden as one of the main scorers on the team, some of the main guys."

Booker is a unique college basketball center who can challenge opponents from all over the floor. In preparation for next season, the Spartan sophomore has continued to work to round out his game.

"I've been working on a little bit of everything," Obviously, in the weight room, getting stronger, I've been working on my game, working on my shot," Booker said. "Working on my post game a lot more, working on moves in the post and just being low and being physical in the post. And my ball handling, too."

Booker made two starts in 27 games as a freshman, averaging 3.7 points per game, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks while playing an average of 9.2 minutes.

A five-star center out of Indianapolis, Indiana, Booker was ranked the No. 1 class of 2023 recruit in Indiana, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, the No. 2 center in the nation and the No. 14 overall prospect in the nation.

This next season will be crucial for Booker, who has arguably the highest potential of any Spartan on the roster.

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