What Position MSU's Xavier Booker Sees Himself Playing This Year
Michigan State big man Xavier Booker has the potential to be the Spartans' best player this season.
The former five-star showed signs in Year 1 of how special he can be, and with the increase in minutes he should be getting in his sophomore season, Booker has a chance to have a huge impact on this very promising squad.
Booker said at Big Ten Basketball Media Days on Thursday that he expects to spend most of his minutes at power forward. Based on his skill set, it could be a smart move. But when you look at his size (6-11) and the fact that he put on almost 25 pounds this offseason, you would initially think Booker belongs at the five.
Ultimately, though, the reasons for Booker playing the 4, it makes sense.
"My ability to stretch the floor, I can put the ball on the ground," Booker said. "I'm still working on, like I said, being consistent every day in practice, but I'm still working on my defense, being able to guard the 4, being able to, ultimately, guard the 1 through 5. So, that's kind of the main role I see myself in this year."
Booker told me at the Moneyball Pro-Am summer league this summer that the plan is for him to be one of the top scorers on the team this year.
"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 put the work in this offseason, making sure he would be ready for that task.
"I've been working on a little bit of everything," he said at Moneyball. "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 has been projected by some to be a first-round pick in next year's NBA Draft. That's a big leap to take from averaging just under 10 minutes a game in his freshman season, but it sounds like he has prepared for that challenge.
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