NCAA Basketball Recruiting: 5 most underrated commitments in 2020 class

Xavier Foster, C, Iowa State

Iowa State is known for having a seemingly endless supply of great guards, but they were hampered last year by a frontcourt that didn’t offer much versatility.

Head coach Steve Prohm prefers to play with two big men on the court, which was a problem for last year’s group on both ends. Though the Cyclones return two quality bigs in Solomon Young and George Conditt IV, they didn’t play much together last year – and probably won’t again next season – due to redundant skill sets.

That leaves an opening for Xavier Foster to come in and make a solid impact right away. He won’t help Iowa State’s defensive struggles on the perimeter, but he will be a reliable rim protector.

Yet the biggest way Foster projects to help the Cyclones is on the offensive end. The seven-footer has real touch and a reliable three-point jumper, which is needed considering how terrible Iowa State was from deep last season. The threat of his shot will also help ISU’s spacing, allowing Prohm to play two bigs more effectively. Given his solid passing abilities as well, Foster could be dangerous in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situations.

With Tyrese Haliburton gone, there is a significant void in offensive production that has to be filled in Ames, and Foster has the ability to fill at least part of that. He’ll get his chances, too, considering how unique his skill set is on this roster.