UCLA Transfer Center Reveals Why he Chose the Bruins

Xavier Booker was given a four-star transfer rating by On3 coming out of Michigan State and entering the transfer portal. The former Spartan center found a home in Westwood and broke down exactly what led to his decision to become a Bruin in an exclusive interview with David Woods and Bruin Report Online.

"I moved out to Westwood probably about two weeks ago," Booker said. "I've been around campus. I've been in the are trying to get used to everything. I think, for the most part, I've gotten pretty adjusted to everything. I still got to get used to the people driving out there, but for the most part it's been great."

A former five-star recruit and No. 1 ranked player out of Indiana for the class of 2022 and then committing to Michigan State, Booker has spent most of his life in the Midwest and is still adjusting to life out in the west coast.

"This is definitely my first time just being out west," Booker said. "I love it so far. My time here had been great. Obviously the weather is going to be way better (in) the winter time. We came up in January or February to play UCLA. The weather was nice and back in Michigan was probably snowing. Definitely the weather is a nice thing but just the area is beautiful. And you just got access to everything."

The weather wasn't the only thing that attracted Booker to Westwood, though. It was playing for a coach like Mick Cronin that would get everything out of him as a player and cares about developing while en route to winning.

"Going somewhere I could play my game and display everything I could do," Booker said of what he was looking for out of the transfer portal. "And really just play for a coach who has a lot of faith in me to go out on the floor and just be able to play through mistakes. I know I'm capable of doing a lot of things and I kind of what to bring that to this program. And I feel like (Mick) Cronin is going to let me do that."

Booker joins a solid transfer class highlighted by former New Mexico point guard Donovan Dent. Cronin and his squad are looking to turn heads ahead of next season after not being able to make it past the second round of the NCAA tournament last season.