PF/C 6'10 Xavier Booker: '23 to Mich State

[Gundo]

Aztecs offer 6'10 205 Lb. post player from Indianapolis, IN.

[Gundo]

His offers include: AZTECS, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, IUPUI, Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Ohio State, Purdue, TCU & Tulane. Interest: Butler Arizona, Marquette, Michigan State

Rivals ranking: #37 in the nation n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals150/2023

[standiego]

obviously would be a good addition - but we will see

[sdsuball]

Reminds me a lot of Malik Pope

[Gundo]

Booker has 15-20 offers many BIG 10, Big XII and Big East. Plus an SDSU offer among them all.  

[docmm]

We need to make a deep run or two in MM to have a more realistic chance at guys like this.

[Gundo]

18+ offers for Booker from Indiana ... long shot for the Aztecs ... a very, very long shot

[Gundo]

Bookers visits last week:

- IU official: October 20-21
- Cincinnati Unofficial: October 22
- Notre Dame Unofficial: October 23

[Gundo]

[standiego]

He is a talent . The major question does he have any interest in the Aztecs ?

[Gundo]

4-star Summer Highlights

[Gundo]

Back to AAU tracking: Xavier Booker MVP

[Gundo]

No surprise to me, Aztecs not in the Top 10; Zags, Oregon, Purdue, Cincy, Notre Dame, Ohio St, Mich St, Auburn, Indiana & Marquette. Booker is from Indiana, except for Zags, Oregon and Auburn. All his other choices are regionalized.

4-star to 5-star ranking, not sure if we were ever in the running after an offer.

[docmm]

Can't wait to see the difference in recruiting and if so, how much, when we become a P5 school.

[standiego]

Exactly - the main reason the PAC schools did not want SDSU as a member is it would elevate the Aztecs to the same level as most of the other PAC schools If the Aztecs do get elevated to a P5 school they would be able to out recruit many of those PAC and Big 12 schools -

In addition the TV Money would enable SDSU to keep coaches as the pay scale would be much better

We are all hoping that SDSU does did an invite but as of now - we are stuck in the MW and that makes recruiting still very difficult

[jcljorgenson]

Jul 26, 2022 20:26:30 GMT -8 standiego said:

Exactly - the main reason the PAC schools did not want SDSU as a member is it would elevate the Aztecs to the same level as most of the other PAC schools If the Aztecs do get elevated to a P5 school they would be able to out recruit many of those PAC and Big 12 schools -

In addition the TV Money would enable SDSU to keep coaches as the pay scale would be much better

We are all hoping that SDSU does did an invite but as of now - we are stuck in the MW and that makes recruiting still very difficult

I agree with this, but you could also argue it's a bigger reason to invite SDSU to the conference. If Big 12 invites us, it's a huge blow to the Pac-12 (and vice-versa).

[sdcoug]

Jul 26, 2022 20:26:30 GMT -8 standiego said:

Exactly - the main reason the PAC schools did not want SDSU as a member is it would elevate the Aztecs to the same level as most of the other PAC schools If the Aztecs do get elevated to a P5 school they would be able to out recruit many of those PAC and Big 12 schools -

In addition the TV Money would enable SDSU to keep coaches as the pay scale would be much better

We are all hoping that SDSU does did an invite but as of now - we are stuck in the MW and that makes recruiting still very difficult

If SDSU became a powerhouse that is GOOD for every other school in the conference not bad. They want that. Rising tides. That's not anything that would hold the P12 back nor was it the main reason we weren't invited previously. We weren't invited previously due to the P12 already having a So-Cal presence and academic hurdles. those 2 factors have now changed. 

[standiego]

Value your opinion

But bottom line - IMO If the Aztecs were in the PAC or Big 12 they would be elevated to a higher level that would improve Recruiting - feel it would make them even more competitive Nationally

In addition - More Money from TV deal - can provide players the same benefits that P6 conferences can provide

Coaches - IMO Aztecs have lost some coaches because they were going to get more money from the PAC schools - Numerous assistants and possibly even a HC in some sports

IMO the PAC schools have used the Educational topics to keep SDSU from achieving the same level as the PAC schools

Recruiting is a very big point and there is little doubt Aztecs have lost recruits because the players want to play for a P6 team . Better Players and Better Coaches make better teams .

[sdcoug]

Jul 27, 2022 14:36:15 GMT -8 standiego said:

Value your opinion

But bottom line - IMO If the Aztecs were in the PAC or Big 12 they would be elevated to a higher level that would improve Recruiting - feel it would make them even more competitive Nationally

In addition - More Money from TV deal - can provide players the same benefits that P6 conferences can provide

Coaches - IMO Aztecs have lost some coaches because they were going to get more money from the PAC schools - Numerous assistants and possibly even a HC in some sports

IMO the PAC schools have used the Educational topics to keep SDSU from achieving the same level as the PAC schools

Recruiting is a very big point and there is little doubt Aztecs have lost recruits because the players want to play for a P6 team . Better Players and Better Coaches make better teams .

IMO you would be very wrong. It's well known that a) already having 2 teams in So-Cal and b) not being a Tier 1 RU have been the 2 primary obstacles to being invited to join the P12. 

Now that the P12 doesn't have any teams in So-Cal that obstacle has been removed, and the Tier 1 status is alleviated to some degree by 2 factors: a) after losing LA TV trumps academics, and b) SDSU has shown they're on schedule to become a R1 U by the time we join the conference (or within a year of joining). That landscape has changed. If they actually feared us "achieving the same level as the PAC schools" we wouldn't be in the conversation today. 

EVERY CONFERENCE wants the strongest teams they can get to join their conference. They want SUCCESSFUL programs, because that attracts more $$$. 

The rest of your commentary is very generic - duh we've lost players to P6's; due we'd be elevated; duh money equals better facilities/benefits (although we already have P12-level facilities); duh they pay more. Who's ever, in the history of this board, ever said otherwise? 

You're missing the only relevant issue - if invited to the P12 they want us to be SUCCESSFUL. It would be in the best interest of Arizona, Oregon, Washington, etc. if we became on par with USC and in a perfect world UCLA in hoops. A critical reason they'd invite us is due to the fact they see the potential in us being among the more successful programs. They don't invite schools with the intention of them being anchors dragging them down. 

[standiego]

Not sure if we differ or not

My opinion is that PAC schools kept SDSU out because they knew that if we were at the same level as they are - we could possibly out recruit them - If you get better players then you are very likely going to have better teams . It also means getting the money to hold on to coaches - and making facilities even better That is my main point and it is a major one

IMO if SDSU was at that same level as many of the PAC schools they would be as good if not better then numerous schools in the PAC - MAJOR Importance for SDSU

P5 schools have a major advantage over G5 schools - even the playing Field and IMO SDSU is able to compete even better for recruits and very likely be able to out recruit schools

IMO the PAC added some schools to get more Viewers when it expanded

Same as the BIG did when it expanded - out on the East Coast