Michigan State added another big name to its 2023 recruiting class Saturday as five-star prospect Xavier Booker, the No. 3 recruit in the 247Sports rankings, pledged his allegiance to the Spartans. Booker, an Indianapolis product, chose Michigan State over an offer sheet that included Indiana, Auburn, Cincinnati, Gonzaga and more than two dozen others.
The 6-foot-10 power forward from Cathedral ranks at 247Sports as the No. 1 prospect at his position in the country and the No. 1 player out of talent-rich Indiana. His commitment gives Michigan State verbal commitments from the top two players in the state after landing Indiana's No. 2 prospect, Jeremy Fears, earlier this year.
Booker made official visits to Indiana, Purdue and Michigan State in recent months, but trips to East Lansing, Michigan, first in March and again in April seems to have sealed Sparty's fate as the victor in his recruitment.
"The visit was amazing," he told 247Sports in March. "The atmosphere was great and there aren't not many like it... I love the MSU program. I can definitely see myself playing and fitting into their program and their coaching style. I have great relationship with the coaches, which is big for me. I like how they let their players play their own game and don't limit them."
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and his staff have raked in a number of talented classes and prospects over the years including former five-stars Max Christie, Jaren Jackson Jr., Miles Bridges and Joshua Langford and a top-10 class in 2016. His current class in 2023 is shaping up to be one of the best, though. With Booker in the fold the class moved from No. 23 to No. 5 in the 247Sports Composite rankings behind only Duke, Kentucky, Iowa State and UConn.