Fast-rising PF Xavier Booker interested in visiting Kentucky, his "dream school"

No one has seen a faster rise in their individual stock over the last several months than 6-foot-10 forward Xavier Booker. The class of 2023 big man out of Indianapolis, IN has seen his popularity soar this spring thanks to eye-popping performances on the AAU circuit. The lefty stretch-four immediately stands out as a premier overall defender with impressive mobility for someone his size.

Currently considered a four-star prospect and the No. 50 overall rising senior by On3, Booker will see a significant jump once updated rankings are released, likely cracking the top 15. 247Sports catapulted him from No. 91 to No. 4 overall in their late May rankings update. He believes he can reach the No. 1 spot in all recruiting services by the time it’s all said and done.

“Yeah that’s definitely what I’m working for but at the end of the day I’m just gonna keep on playing, keep on working,” Booker said.

Earlier this week at the 20th annual Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas, Booker confirmed to the NBA scouts in attendance that he has plenty of potential just waiting to come out. Out of 120-plus invited campers, he was named to the Top 30 Cream of the Crop Game to close out the event and the eventual overall camp MVP.

Throughout the three-day camp, Booker averaged 17.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor across four contests. His best outing was a 28-point performance that includes four made triples in a span of a few minutes. Booker posted 16 points (8-12 shooting) plus two steals and a block in the All-Star game.

As Booker continues to play well in all settings, his recruitment continues to ride the hot hand. On Thursday, Memphis offered him a scholarship. On Wednesday it was Auburn and Oregon two days before. The likes of Duke, Texas, Michigan State, Louisville, Kansas, and plenty of others had already extended offers prior to his bright showing in Vegas.

Kentucky hasn’t been one of them, but there is mutual interest between the two schools as of right now. Booker used the oft-mentioned “dream school” expression when talking about the ‘Cats. A visit to UK’s campus is in the works.

“I actually talked to (head coach John) Calipari last week when I was at (Team) USA in Houston,” Booker told KSR this week. “Kentucky has always been my dream school so he’d love to get me up to a visit. I’m planning to go up there in a few weeks.“

Booker grew up watching former Kentucky All-American Anthony Davis and has since followed the program for its ability to produce NBA players.

“Anthony Davis was one of my favorite players, he went there,” Booker added. “And obviously they got like, I think it’s the school with the most NBA players or something like that? That’s my goal at the end of the day.”

With just one official visit remaining, Booker is still deciding where to use it. Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Duke are among the possibilities, he told On3. That being said, he would likely come to Lexington as an unofficial visitor if the ‘Cats don’t snag the last OV. Booker visited Ohio State on Thursday for an unofficial.

Michigan State and Duke are two schools viewed as his early frontrunners. Tom Izzo and the Spartans compare him to current Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr., who is one of the NBA’s top defenders after spending one season at MSU in 2017-18. New head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils are pitching the five-out system with Booker as a shooting big, which he likes. The professional league, Overtime Elite, has also reached out and interests him.

It’s going to be a busy summer for the potential five-star product.