NBA Draft Scouting Report: Michigan State's Xavier Booker

Scouting Report: Xavier Booker

Contents

1. Prospect Profile 
2. Highlights 
3. Draft Projection 
4. 2024 Big Board 

Xavier Booker 

Forward | Michigan State 

Height: 6'11” | Weight: 215 lbs 

2024 Draft Age: 19.78 

Nick King/Lansing State Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Prospect Profile 

Booker is a skilled forward with the height to also play modern center at the next level. He’s extremely mobile, plays with fluidity and has both bounce and length. The 6-foot-11 big has the ability to operate in the paint, but really has more of a perimeter-oriented game. Given the way the game is played at the NBA level today, his skill set is one that any team could use.

What makes Booker so valuable is his ability to space the floor. He has an effortless lefty jumper and a quality face-up game as well. The Michigan State freshman can also put the ball on the deck and passes well for his size. He’s very unselfish and has good vision for a big. With that in mind, he’ll need to show flashes of aggression at the college level to give a taste of just how high his offensive ceiling is.

Both in halfcourt sets and in transition, Booker is a quality lob threat. He gets to his spots and has a large catch radius for teammates to throw it up. If he’s going to continue to generate even more points in the paint, he will need to get stronger. Luckily for him, his frame would suggest that shouldn’t be a problem as time goes on.

Given his foot speed and fluidity at nearly 7-foot, Booker has the chance to be a really special defender. Not only is he a good shot blocker, but he has the tools to defend perimeter players situationally and should have the ability to switch almost anything moving forward. This will allow him to close games at any level moving forward since he can play against small or big lineups down the stretch. 

Booker improved tremendously over the past few years and quickly rose in his high school class rankings. It feels like he’s still scratching the surface of his potential and could end up being drafted a lot higher than where he’s projected before his freshman season. Consistency will be key for Booker, as well as ensuring he can carve out a significant role in the Michigan State system. If he puts on more muscle and continues to polish his game, the lottery isn’t out of the question for Booker in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Highlights 

Draft Projection 

Late First-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.

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2024 Big Board 

Want to know more about other potential 2024 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Big Board.

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