From a sophomore high school 2020-21 season that saw Xavier Booker barely get off the bench, to the No. 4 player in the class of 2023.
That has been the meteoric rise of the 6-foot-11 Indianapolis Cathedral product over the last year.
After very impressive play this spring, Booker soared 87 spots in the latest class of 2023 rankings update by 247Sports, moving to 5-star status along the way.
Booker took an official visit to Indiana last fall. A source tells The Daily Hoosier there is still strong interest flowing both ways in this recruitment when it comes to IU and Booker. But the competition is intense. Booker’s physical attributes and recent high-level play have him on the radar of just about every high-major program.
247Sports national analyst Travis Branham handicapped Booker’s recruitment this way in an article on Thursday accompanying the new rankings.
“Indiana, Michigan State, Illinois, Ohio State and others have all made him a priority but the blue bloods are now starting to see what all the buzz is about with Duke starting to enter the picture,” Branham wrote.
“Booker has already taken an official visit to Michigan State and if the recruitment ended today, that would be the prediction but Booker’s recruitment, like his game, has yet to peak and there is much more to unfold.”
A LOOK AT OTHER IU COMMITS AND PROSPECTS IN THE RANKINGS UPDATE
Indiana has two commits in the class of 2023, Georgia combo guard Jakai Newton, and Ohio point guard Gabe Cupps. Newton moved up 39 spots to No. 80 in the update, while Cupps dropped 17 spots to No. 107. Both players are 4-stars in the rankings.
Montverde forward K.J. Evans, a teammate of IU 2022 signees Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau, dropped six spots but remains a 5-star at No. 8. Indiana is trying to get the 6-foot-9 Evans on campus for a visit this summer, but most national prognostications indicate he is leaning towards Arizona, Oregon and Kentucky at this time.
California wing Andrej Stojakovic jumped 78 spots to No. 25 after playing his first shot circuit basketball this spring and making a strong impression in the process. The 6-foot-7 sharpshooting son of long-time NBA player Peja has indicated he is eyeing an IU visit this summer.
Massachusetts forward T.J. Power is yet another IU target who made a major move in the rankings, jumping 65 spots to No. 56. The 6-foot-9 Power told The Daily Hoosier he is considering a visit to Bloomington this summer.
Georgia big man Arrinten Page made his rankings debut at No. 59. The 6-foot-9 Page may represent IU’s best chance to land a big man in the 2023 class. The Hoosiers are also working to get him on campus this summer.
Another Georgia product, Coen Carr moved up 95 spots to No. 62 in the update. The 6-foot-7 Carr visited IU in March and told The Daily Hoosier he is eyeing another visit this summer.
Virginia based wing Jamie Kaiser also made a debut appearance in the rankings after a breakout spring. Kaiser is No. 78 in the update. He also told The Daily Hoosier he is considering a Bloomington visit this summer.
MORE PLAYERS WITH IU INTEREST IN THE RANKINGS
- Freddie Dilione – No. 75 (+67 spots)
- Brady Dunlap – No. 77 (-15 spots)
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