Xavier Booker didn’t arrive in Westwood with much buzz, but by the end of last season he had become one of the more important pieces on UCLA’s roster. Now the Bruins are counting on him to keep climbing.
The 6-foot-11, 245-pound center transferred in from Michigan State, where he spent two seasons mostly in a reserve role. He played in 60 games for the Spartans and made five starts. At UCLA, though, Booker settled into Mick Cronin’s offense and turned himself into a real threat on both ends.
His numbers backed up the eye test. Booker posted career-best marks across the board last season, shooting 54 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep. That kind of production gave UCLA something valuable: a big man who could stretch the floor while also changing shots at the rim.
He moved into the starting lineup early in the year and quickly became a key part of a Bruins team that had its share of regular-season issues before reaching the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the second round, where it lost to UConn.
Booker will be back for the 2026-27 season, and that matters for a UCLA group that is trying to build on some much-needed continuity. Trent Perry, Brandon Williams and Eric Dailey are also set to return, giving the Bruins a familiar core.
They’ll also add new faces, including Jaylen Petty and Filip Jovic. After an unusual 2025-26 season, UCLA is positioned to push for a Big Ten title and improve its standing for next year’s NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have also picked up plenty of offseason respect as a potential top 25 team heading into 2026-27.
Booker is expected to start at center again, and the setup looks good for another step forward. He already showed he can space the floor and protect the rim at a high level, and he’ll now try to build on that in a system that fit him well last season.
For UCLA, that kind of growth would be huge as the program heads into what could be a pivotal year. Booker has been one of the Bruins’ success stories in recent seasons, and with Mick Cronin’s future under scrutiny, there aren’t many better examples of what UCLA needs more of.
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