Xavier Booker Christmas time check in after 13 games

Xavier Booker was the second most important transfer for UCLA over the offseason. Behind Donovan Dent, he was seen as an important acquisition. With both Aday Mara and Williams Kyle III on their way out of Westwood. Leaving UCLA with a large hole at the center position. Booker is an athletic player that uses his athleticism and length very well. He didn’t play much while at Michigan State and UCLA provided more opportunities to play. Booker has stepped up his game and gotten better this season.

Booker struggled with his shot at Michigan State. He shot 41.7% from the floor and 23.3% from 3-point range last season. But to begin this season he has shown that his offensive game is rapidly growing. Proving to be a big part of the identity on UCLA’s offense. He is not a powerful center that will play back to the basket. Mostly shooting and rolling to the basket. But he has shown his game is getting much better than his numbers showed in recent years.

Booker is now shooting 57.5% from the floor and most importantly is now shooting 44.4% from 3-point range. Averaging 8.8 points per game on the season and giving Cronin someone in the starting lineup that can provide spurts of offense for him. His 1.4 blocks per game are also a career high as he continues to transform his defensive game. Leading to UCLA playing much better in the paint since when they first began their season.

Booker has battled a minor ankle injury recently. Only playing in three minutes in the Cal Poly game. It has lingered a bit and over the last three games he has only played 10 minutes per game. Outside of that his numbers would look much better. But not much can be done in that short of a span and in pain. He has played in all 13 games this season. The 11-day break came at the perfect time to allow him to heal up for the Big Ten gauntlet ahead.