Finally playing center, UCLA's Xavier Booker wants to be more than a 'X' factor

Xavier Booker has been like a personable employee stocking shelves instead of interacting with customers. A skilled chef making food deliveries. A roofer inspecting a basement.

He’s been terribly miscast.

At Michigan State, the 6-foot-11 forward spent way too much time lingering on the perimeter, hoisting three-pointers, when he should have been doing other traditional big-man things.

“You’ve got to be one of the best mobile big guys in pick-and-roll basketball and running the floor, protecting the rim, finishing above the rim,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said of young players with Booker’s size. “You can make a three, and that’s a great thing. But if that’s who you are and you don’t do all that other stuff, you saw where he was at Michigan State.”

Xavier Booker is shown playing on the perimeter for Michigan State last season.

Xavier Booker, shown playing for Michigan State last season, is expected spend less time on the perimeter at UCLA than he did with the Spartans. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

Where he is as a Bruin could put him on a trajectory to much greater success.

After transferring from Michigan State to fill the opening created by Aday Mara’s departure, Booker has moved from power forward to center in a career reboot for the former McDonald’s All-American who was more of a small fry with the Spartans, averaging 4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.6 blocks during two disappointing seasons.

Now he’s literally in the middle of everything the Bruins are doing after accepting Cronin’s pitch to come play under the basket.

“I thought it would be great for me, not only here, but just going along the line in my career,” Booker said. “I mean, I’m 6-11, I’ve got long arms, I could spread the floor, catch lobs, block shots, do a lot of things on the court, so I feel like me playing the five would be great for my future.”

It’s been an adjustment for a player who grew up with a guard’s skill set even though he was taller than most of his peers. In addition to working on his post moves with big man coach Darren Savino, Booker has absorbed plenty of body blows from new teammate Steven Jamerson II, who is known for his relentlessness around the basket.

“The constant banging when he spent most of his career outside the three-point line,” Cronin said of Booker, “it’s new for him.”

Going from 242 pounds when he arrived on campus to 250 thanks to the workout regimen prescribed by Dave Andrews, UCLA’s director of basketball performance, has helped ease Booker’s transition. Just as important, the junior’s willingness to embrace Cronin’s coaching has accelerated his improvement.

“It’s starting to all kind of come together a little bit,” Booker said. “So I’ve just got to keep working, it’s a day by day thing. But I definitely feel the progress.”

Don’t expect a player who made just 27.3% of his three-pointers at Michigan State to abandon that aspect of his game. He has Cronin’s blessing to shoot from beyond the arc when he’s open.

“Obviously, not my main focus,” Booker said of three-pointers, “but if it’s there, it’s there.”

The cornerstones of Booker’s game will now be doing traditional big-man things and using the speed that could make him a menace in the lob game and on the fast break.

“Running rim to rim,” Cronin said, “he’s as fast as any big guy in the country.”

What makes Booker unique is a blend of skills that could be the envy of every other big man in the Big Ten.

“He’s super long, super tall, super athletic,” UCLA guard Skyy Clark said. “He can shoot the three ball. He’ll take it in and drive past someone from the three-point line. Go lay it up. I mean, he can do a lot of things.”

Forward Xavier Booker is shown running up the court during a Michigan State game last season.

UCLA is asking Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker (34) use his height to be a more dominant force inside than he was for the Spartans. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)

Some have questioned how Booker could be much different playing for a new coach with so many similarities to his old one, but Cronin said Michigan State counterpart Tom Izzo — also known for prioritizing toughness and defense — acknowledged not maximizing Booker’s capabilities.

“He just said, ‘Look, I should have done a better job with him,’ ” Cronin said of a brief exchange he had with Izzo, “but I kind of get it. I mean, it was what it was. … You know, the guy was 200 pounds and played behind the three-point line in high school. It kind of was his career. Then you become 6-11 and now he’s 250.”

If all goes well, put in the right spot, the big man will thrive as a big man.

A drive for five

Consider Clark among those who would strongly consider capitalizing on a possible new rule granting college athletes five seasons of eligibility if a pending lawsuit is successful.

“I’m not against that at all,” Clark said. “I love this place. I love everything that we’re building here right now, and I would love to continue to keep that going.”

Cronin said a fifth season of eligibility would change the calculus for how his front office spent its revenue sharing and name, image and likeness dollars, provided the latter funding becomes available as expected in a return to the free-for-all spending allowed before the House settlement.

“Re-signing Tyler Bilodeau and Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark and Steven Jamerson,” Cronin said of the players who would be able to return for another season under such a scenario, “would be much more important than signing 18-year-olds if you’re trying to win.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Finally playing center, UCLA’s Xavier Booker wants to be more than a ‘X’ factor

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