(2023) - C Xavier Booker to Michigan State

[craigyv88]

57 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

 

Thomas Bryant played with enthusiasm and wasn't afraid to mix it up; in fact he relished it. 

I want talented players, but those talented players have to fit into a culture of loving the game. I am not seeing that here. Neither is his high school coach, Jason Delaney. He's an extremely successful coach and has parked Booker on the bench for long stretches of many games during his junior year.. Yet IU should be pushing for him?

Xavier Booker has blown off trips to Bloomington on multiple occasions at the last minute.   His recent interview highlights how he is dreaming of offers from Duke and UK.

No. Thank. You. If Jason Delaney starts to buy in, that's when IU should start to buy in.

Until then, if we're gonna take a flyer on a project, let's take one on a player that gives a ****.

 

Gotcha, I knew there were some motor concerns but I wasn't aware the lack of intangibles ran that deep.  I don't disagree with any of your post and didn't intend to compare him to Bryant outside of measurables and athletic upside and how important I think that is in our league.  It's tempting for me though based on the size and athleticism Booker brings, the need we will have for that, and the lack of similar prospects in our backyard or that we are in on elsewhere in the next two classes (unless I'm forgetting someone).  And perhaps I'm off base in thinking this but the transfer portal gets me about as excited as the weather in Indiana today does.

I should also clarify that although Booker is likely the best in-state prospect between both '23 and '24, that is largely because the '23 class is a bit light on top-end talent and so far no names have emerged from '24.

Hopefully we can still get in on some other prospects of a commensurate size and skill to provide some other options.

[Stuhoo]

2 minutes ago, craigyv88 said:

Gotcha, I knew there were some motor concerns but I wasn't aware the lack of intangibles ran that deep.  I don't disagree with any of your post and didn't intend to compare him to Bryant outside of measurables and athletic upside and how important I think that is in our league.  It's tempting for me though based on the size and athleticism Booker brings, the need we will have for that, and the lack of similar prospects in our backyard or that we are in on elsewhere in the next two classes (unless I'm forgetting someone).  And perhaps I'm off base in thinking this but the transfer portal gets me about as excited as the weather in Indiana today does.

I should also clarify that although Booker is likely the best in-state prospect between both '23 and '24, that is largely because the '23 class is a bit light on top-end talent and so far no names have emerged from '24.

Hopefully we can still get in on some other prospects of a commensurate size and skill to provide some other options.

I agree with your entire post, but I highlighted your line that I like best.

[Rico]

7 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I agree with your entire post, but I highlighted your line that I like best.

Why do I get "small man's syndrome" when I see the words "commensurate" and "size" put together?

[MikeRoberts]

100% with Stu. I don’t care how much raw potential a kid has, if they don’t have the drive, it will never matter

[Old Friend]

I will say this over and over.  Indiana wants nothing to do with this kid.  

Nor anything Jason Delaney touches.   Booker is a worse version of Peter Jurkin and not close to as good/hard working as Tijan Jobe, Ben Allen, or Evan Fitzner.  Been around him (and Delaney) too long.    Nope.  Nopetty nope nope.

[BtownStrength]

39 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

I will say this over and over.  Indiana wants nothing to do with this kid.  

Nor anything Jason Delaney touches.   Booker is a worse version of Peter Jurkin and not close to as good/hard working as Tijan Jobe, Ben Allen, or Evan Fitzner.  Been around him (and Delaney) too long.    Nope.  Nopetty nope nope.

What's the deal with Delaney? Is he not respected in Indiana coaching circles?

[WayneFleekHoosier]

But..but….but…. We win with Indiana kids. Or so Archie was told. Or that isn’t the magic formula of winning after all? We continue to chase the elusive formula of what it takes to win at the highest level.

Psstt. Get the best/top end talent….. Make them like each other and want to win.


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[Stuhoo]

3 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

But..but….but…. We win with Indiana kids. Or so Archie was told. Or that isn’t the magic formula of winning after all? We continue to chase the elusive formula of what it takes to win at the highest level.

Psstt. Get the best/top end talent….. Make them like each other and want to win.


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Age old discussion—we get a home state recruiting bump when we have proximity.

Easier to show love, families can get to games, interest in being a home state hero.

But that’s not a guarantee and the player still needs to have the goods.

 

[Hoosierfanyuh]

I have a weird feeling hes going to end up at ND. Just a hunch 

[WayneFleekHoosier]

Age old discussion—we get a home state recruiting bump when we have proximity.
Easier to show love, families can get to games, interest in being a home state hero.
But that’s not a guarantee and the player still needs to have the goods.
 

No doubt. It was just a multi year trend of peoples answers to why Crean was failing. It wasn’t ever the reason why Crean failed but he did miss some talented locals. Anyway, it’s nice to be able to nab the best Indiana kids when you want them. Archie mostly did. It didn’t matter. It’s all very tiresome Stu…. Lol.


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[WayneFleekHoosier]

Age old discussion—we get a home state recruiting bump when we have proximity.
Easier to show love, families can get to games, interest in being a home state hero.
But that’s not a guarantee and the player still needs to have the goods.
 

Also, yeah. I like having them on the roster, it is a feel-good. Leal and Galloway are both cool stories. Same with Lander. But…….


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[IU Scott]

When Indiana was at its best  most of the players were from Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. On the 3 title teams 13-15 starters came from those 3 states.  When RMK started going elsewhere is when his teams went downhill.

 

[HoosierAloha]

16 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

When Indiana was at its best  most of the players were from Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. On the 3 title teams 13-15 starters came from those 3 states.  When RMK started going elsewhere is when his teams went downhill.

 

1) Our program might want to live in the 1970s and 1980s but the game has evolved a little

2) RMK has been gone for a hot minute

3) There is plenty of talent all over the country

We need to upgrade talent throughout the entire program

[cthomas]

On 2/18/2022 at 9:42 AM, Stuhoo said:

 

Thomas Bryant played with enthusiasm and wasn't afraid to mix it up; in fact he relished it. 

I want talented players, but those talented players have to fit into a culture of loving the game. I am not seeing that here. Neither is his high school coach, Jason Delaney. He's an extremely successful coach and has parked Booker on the bench for long stretches of many games during his junior year.. Yet IU should be pushing for him?

Xavier Booker has blown off trips to Bloomington on multiple occasions at the last minute.   His recent interview highlights how he is dreaming of offers from Duke and UK.

No. Thank. You. If Jason Delaney starts to buy in, that's when IU should start to buy in.

Until then, if we're gonna take a flyer on a project, let's take one on a player that gives a ****.

 

The body can be great, but if the head isn't right you really don't have anything useful. Being respectful doesn't take a whole lot of effort. I truly hope he matures and understands what his potential is and can realize it. If he doesn't...well we know how that usually goes.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Last night Cathedral beaten by Ben Davis 67-64.  Booker played just 14 min. scoring 14 pts. on 4-5 FG; 1-1 on 3s; 5-5 FT; 4 reb; 0 stl; 2 blk; 0 TO.  He reportedly only had 3 fouls so fouls alone shouldn't have been the cause for his limited minutes.

[MemphisHoosier]

8 hours ago, BtownStrength said:

What's the deal with Delaney? Is he not respected in Indiana coaching circles?

 

9 hours ago, Old Friend said:

I will say this over and over.  Indiana wants nothing to do with this kid.  

Nor anything Jason Delaney touches.   Booker is a worse version of Peter Jurkin and not close to as good/hard working as Tijan Jobe, Ben Allen, or Evan Fitzner.  Been around him (and Delaney) too long.    Nope.  Nopetty nope nope.

Curious on the Delaney take, whenever I have heard him speak about the state of the #IUBB program he has been overtly optimistic - mind you this was during Archie's tenure.  Has his dynamic with the program & staff changed in past 12-18 months?

[Old Friend]

9 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

But..but….but…. We win with Indiana kids. Or so Archie was told. Or that isn’t the magic formula of winning after all? We continue to chase the elusive formula of what it takes to win at the highest level.

Psstt. Get the best/top end talent….. Make them like each other and want to win.


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It's not THAT simple!  =)

Someone else can have kids from the transfer portal.  I've seen enough.  Someone else can have kids who have no idea how to play the GAME of basketball and everything they do know is ball-centric.  That doesn't win in the Big Ten.  Sadly, Purdue has the model right now.  They have 11 kids from Indiana and another from Chicago.  They recruit kids to their system just like Wisconsin does.  And Wisconsin is right there every year. 

Indiana got away from that formula and instead of recruiting to a system...and a culture, just "recruited."   That doesn't work, either.    Top level talent also doesn't necessarily work because every single measure of "talent" measures athletic and ball skills.  Khristian Lander was "top level talent," AND he's from Indiana.  But while he's a terrific athlete, he is a wretched player in a 5 man game and couldn't guard a deck chair.  Tamar Bates is only marginally better.   Recruiting is far more art than science and Xavier Booker is not an experiment we need to attempt.

[Old Friend]

1 hour ago, MemphisHoosier said:

 

Curious on the Delaney take, whenever I have heard him speak about the state of the #IUBB program he has been overtly optimistic - mind you this was during Archie's tenure.  Has his dynamic with the program & staff changed in past 12-18 months?

Arrogant.  A product of a system.   At Tech, he won because several different AAU kids who knew each other (many played together as kids) decided to go to Tech together.  Coaches on his staff were mostly handlers.  He got to choose his players and few would have gone to Tech otherwise.  (An IPS school, not private)

At Cathedral, he has no rules when everyone else does.  Cathedral might as well be La Lumiere.  Indianapolis has a CYO system that generally feeds the Catholic high schools here.   Know how many CYO kids are on Cathedral's JV and varsity teams?  Zero.  None.  (I'd bet very few are Catholic)   Friend of mine went there and bragged to me once that 62 junior high schools were represented at Cathedral.  I can't imagine any other IHSAA sanctioned school in indiana is close to that.  Many alumni fund students who go there and I know absolutely 100% a few kids (family) never have to pay a dime.  Tuition is ~ $11,500 there.   All Delaney has to do is walk into administration and ask for some alum or foundation to pay for a kid and he gets whoever he wants.  Football does the same.  Football has 200 kids in the program.  TWO HUNDRED!   Basketball had 84 kids go out freshman thru varsity.   They kept 36.  A private school cut 48 kids.    Many of whom would play and maybe start at other schools and certainly at places like Scecina or Ritter.

I believe with my whole heart that he said nice things about IU in case he had a player who could succeed at IU and it'd make him look good.  Always has an angle.  Cathedral isn't playing on a level field, yet their aura is the same as Notre Dame....holier than thou.  Better than thou.  Only ND has a relatively equal playing field.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Last night Cathedral played on the road at Louisville Male and won in OT 78-77 on a Tayshawn Comer shot with the clock winding down.  Booker 11p  6r  1a  2s  5b  2t  in 21 min.

FWIW Kaleb Glenn of Male had  33p  20r  1a  2s  4b  

[lillurk]

5 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Last night Cathedral played on the road at Louisville Male and won in OT 78-77 on a Tayshawn Comer shot with the clock winding down.  Booker 11p  6r  1a  2s  5b  2t  in 21 min.

FWIW Kaleb Glenn of Male had  33p  20r  1a  2s  4b  

Xavier Booker do not read this

 

…

 

Kaleb Glenn…hello