Foster headed to USA Basketball tryout
There’s something to be said for being in the right place at the right time.
When that occurs and your talent is shining at its brightest level, you get the biggest opportunity of your young life.
For Xavier Foster, it was being invited to the CP3 Rising Stars event in North Carolina late last summer and playing well in front of the right people. The result was an invitation to be one of 33 prospects that will tryout for the USA Basketball U16 team, coached by Iowa high school coaching legend, Don Showalter.
“I don’t know how it happened, but it happened,” said his father Dajuan Foster. “He went to the CP3 Camp last year and played well, probably the best he has ever played. After we got back, the director at Pure Prep Academy asked us to come in and he gave us the letter with the invitation to tryout for the team.”
The 6-foot-10 and 200 pound big man from Oskaloosa, IA leaves for the tryout on Thursday. After a couple of days of practices, the team will be cut to 12 on Saturday afternoon.
“I hope he’s ready for it. He doesn’t seem too nervous about it. I think his mom and dad are more nervous than he is,” his father said with a laugh. “It’s just basketball and I think that’s how he looks at it. If he just goes out there and plays his best and does what he does best on the floor, I think he will do well.”
Foster has certainly done well already on the basketball court. He just wrapped up his freshman year of high school and is playing with the Pure Prep Academy on the Powerade Platform AAU circuit. During the just completed spring sessions, they improved their play, finishing 3-1 last weekend in Nashville.
“The evaluation period was ok. Xavier continues to make progress and show flashes,” his father said. “He’s playing up with the 16U group, so the game is a little faster, but he’s shown flashes during the spring period.”
One of the schools that watched Foster during the April evaluation period was Iowa. Assistant coach Sherman Dillard, who is leading the Hawkeyes recruiting efforts, was courtside for his games in Indianapolis.
Iowa has offered the 2020 standout a scholarship and the Foster’s have been impressed with their visits to Iowa City this fall and winter.
“We came to watch their first practice of the year and went to a football game in the fall, Then we came for a couple of basketball games. I really like Coach McCaffery’s style of play because he lets his players make plays and I think that could be a good fit for Xavier.”
Fran McCaffery has been down to watch Foster in open gym settings and Foster’s father said he’s in regular contact with Coach Dillard.
The Hawkeyes aren’t the only school from the state of Iowa to offer a scholarship. Iowa State also jumped into the mix last fall and the Foster’s have attended a couple of games in Ames.
“We went to a couple of games there this past season and enjoyed it,” Foster said. “We have developed a pretty good relationship with Coach Robinson at Iowa State. He’s been after Xavier for a while and has always been very positive about him.”
Foster’s father said that Kansas and Missouri have also been in touch, but no offer has been extended.
With Foster just completing his freshman year of high school, there’s no rush or sense of urgency in his recruitment. The plan is to simply enjoy the process, continue to develop as a player, and then sometime down the road, make a decision.
“It’s just a process and he’s still a young kid,” Foster said. “Sure he has offers, but there’s no reason to rush it because he’s not going to college soon. I think we have a couple of years to figure everything out.”