(2023) - C Xavier Booker to Michigan State

[Demo 17,288]

Announcing his top schools at 6pm on 7/25,  per his Twitter feed. No mention of how many.

[Stuhoo 75,436]

4 minutes ago, Demo said:

Announcing his top schools at 6pm on 7/25,  per his Twitter feed. No mention of how many.

Hopefully getting some sage advice and not announcing a top 20! No need to invite trolling.

[lillurk 3,660]

On 7/6/2022 at 8:00 AM, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

I was able to access this good story on Booker from Billy Witz in the NY Times so I hope you won't find it behind a paywall.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/sports/ncaabasketball/college-recruiting.html?smid=url-share

I don’t mean to get anyone’s hopes up but my between-the-lines read here — what it sounds like is important — is good for IU.

[Stuhoo 75,436]

52 minutes ago, lillurk said:

I don’t mean to get anyone’s hopes up but my between-the-lines read here — what it sounds like is important — is good for IU.

His cards are very close to his vest in the  article if you ask me.

Wants to stay within reach of family, but may not want family to be in the local microscope.

UK and MSU worry me, though Cal and Izzo could bounce out any year.

[lillurk 3,660]

1 minute ago, Stuhoo said:

His cards are very close to his vest I. The article if you ask me.

Wants to stay within reach of family, but may not want family to be in the local microscope.

UK and MSU worry me, though Cal and Izzo could bounce out any year.

Yes, you can see good signs for a few places, he’s guarded.

[Demo 17,288]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

His cards are very close to his vest in the  article if you ask me.

Wants to stay within reach of family, but may not want family to be in the local microscope.

UK and MSU worry me, though Cal and Izzo could bounce out any year.

It’s not really significant since they go to the top whenever they get involved with a kid, and they’re clearly interested, but has UK actually offered Booker? I don’t recall ever seeing anything about it. 

[cthomas 5,913]

CMW seems to have a pretty good preference order to the kids he is recruiting. If not Booker, and I have no idea where he is on the list, he will fill the spot with someone very good. It's not just the kids, but how they fit into what he is trying to do. If he can coach even a little bit, and I think he can, we are in for some very good times in the not too distant future.

[Demo 17,288]

 

[Demo 17,288]

Quote from Booker referencing MSU in the Lansing State Journal:

“There were some times when they were probably the only school in the stands looking at me.”

[Brass Cannon 24,062]

25 minutes ago, Demo said:

Quote from Booker referencing MSU in the Lansing State Journal:

“There were some times when they were probably the only school in the stands looking at me.”

Well hopefully the fact we fired the reason we weren’t there will matter to him 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 80,869]

2 hours ago, Demo said:

Quote from Booker referencing MSU in the Lansing State Journal:

“There were some times when they were probably the only school in the stands looking at me.”

c'est la vie

[hoosierdaddy_72 112]

1 hour ago, Brass Cannon said:

Well hopefully the fact we fired the reason we weren’t there will matter to him 

We fired Mike Woodson?

[Hardwood83 4,471]

Is Booker a one & done talent? Or even worse, does he THINK he is? 

 

[BtownStrength 993]

8 minutes ago, Hardwood83 said:

Is Booker a one & done talent? Or even worse, does he THINK he is? 

 

Anything can happen, but I would guess 1 year. His skillset perfectly fits modern NBA. 

[Brass Cannon 24,062]

1 hour ago, hoosierdaddy_72 said:

We fired Mike Woodson?

I was under the impression Dane fife was the reason we weren’t talking with Booker 

[WayneFleekHoosier 46,717]

1 hour ago, Hardwood83 said:

Is Booker a one & done talent? Or even worse, does he THINK he is? 

 

On potential he 100% percent is a one and done talent.  On production, meh, not nearly as likely.  He has been dominant in the circuit since the HS season with the free flowing offense of AAU type basketball.    I don't think it will translate into a Jabari Smith type year IMO.  But the scouts will love that he is the next Kevin Durant type player/frame/skillset.  

[hoosierdaddy_72 112]

4 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

I was under the impression Dane fife was the reason we weren’t talking with Booker 

That's peegs nonsense.  Woody has never been sold on the kid, period.

[Old Friend 8,389]

22 minutes ago, hoosierdaddy_72 said:

That's peegs nonsense.  Woody has never been sold on the kid, period.

Have been close enough to him on the floor and in the community to say this with comfort.  My stance on him has softened to be sure.  A year ago, I was hard in the "we do not need or want this kid" camp.  I didn't think he had any ability to help a Big Ten basketball program until at least 2-3 years down the road and I thought he was a soft player.

I think he's improved since then, and I guess I'd say he's an okay addition, but I also still believe Indiana will be just fine if he goes somewhere else.

[Stuhoo 75,436]

37 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

Have been close enough to him on the floor and in the community to say this with comfort.  My stance on him has softened to be sure.  A year ago, I was hard in the "we do not need or want this kid" camp.  I didn't think he had any ability to help a Big Ten basketball program until at least 2-3 years down the road and I thought he was a soft player.

I think he's improved since then, and I guess I'd say he's an okay addition, but I also still believe Indiana will be just fine if he goes somewhere else.

Page seems to be a high-motor, hard-nosed big.

If we can add him plus a second year of Malik Reneau I'll be comfortable that Woody has plenty of bigs that will fit well in our system.

[Demo 17,288]

And the correct answer to how much we’re cutting our list to is…….