Indiana has landed a commitment from 2023 five-star wing Mackenzie Mgbako.
The No. 8 player in the Rivals150 and a consensus top-10 player in his class, Mgbako announced his decision via his social media pages on Friday evening.
A native of Roselle, New Jersey, and a product of Roselle Catholic High School, Mgbako is a McDonald's All-American. He joins four-star signees Gabe Cupps and Jakai Newton in Indiana's incoming recruiting class, which currently ranks at No. 39 in the nation.
Mgbako was once a former Duke commit but requested a release from his letter of intent and the program. After reopening his recruitment, Mgbako visited St. Johns, Kansas and Indiana before canceling a scheduled visit to Louisville. In the end, head coach Mike Woodson and his program beat out the Jayhawks for Mgbako's services, the final two schools he narrowed down to.
Mgbako becomes the second former McDonald's All-American coming to Bloomington ahead of the upcoming season, joining Oregon transfer big man Kel'el Ware – one of three players the Hoosiers have landed commitment from this offseason.
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 185 pounds, Mgbako's physical skillset and versatility makes him a valuable piece on the perimeter. With Indiana desperately needing wing impact and production, Mgbako likely slots into the once-vacant three role in Indiana's starting lineup.
On top of his frame making him an already tough cover, Mgbako's jumper is a true outside shooting threat. He can score in a variety of ways with it – spot-up situations, off-dribble pull-ups and pick-and-pops. His comfort on the outside makes him valuable not only on the offensive end, but also as a defender as well. However, it will likely be a question as to whether he'll be able to defend smaller, quicker players on the perimeter that truly determines his defensive versatility.
He's also a great rebounder for his position, using his body's impressive mix of strength and size to get into position and retrieve misses.
Mgbako's potential and physical profile has him listed as a potential one-and-done prospect that could head for the NBA Draft following a season of college. Should that be the case, Indiana will likely try to extract as much of his game as possible and develop him into a talent that can play at the next level – much like the trajectory freshman phenom Jalen Hood-Schifino propelled himself to a season ago.
Regardless, Mgbako fits a need that the Hoosiers have had since the final buzzer sounded in Albany: wing size and scoring. His impact this winter could be instant.
With Mgbako's commitment, Indiana has just a single scholarship left for the upcoming season.
Backcourt: Xavier Johnson, Trey Galloway, CJ Gunn, Gabe Cupps*, Jakai Newton*, Anthony Leal
Frontcourt: Mackenzie Mgbako*, Kel'el Ware**, Anthony Walker**, Kaleb Banks, Malik Reneau, Payton Sparks**
* Incoming freshman.
** Incoming transfers.
Indiana still has a need for a backcourt partner to pair with Xavier Johnson, but landing one of the best wings in this year's recruiting class that simultaneously fills a need on the roster is a big step in the right direction for next season. The Hoosiers' roster turnover is just about complete.
Analysis from Rivals national analyst:
"Mgbako is a a first-off-the-bus type of player, as he comes equipped with the kind of frame that piques interest. Still, the 6-foot-8 forward is more than just size-based upside. He’s an well-above-average athlete that runs the floor well, puts the ball on the floor and attacks the rim. His slashing ability, rebounding numbers and defensive versatility have always been his calling cards and remain a major part of his game, but Mgbako has become a better shooter in the last year or so, even if he still has work left to do on that front. Mgbako’s motor can sometimes be a question, as he doesn’t consistently contribute in the manner of which he’s capable, but his best games are dominant, double-double efforts that see him take over completely. Mgbako is a motivated rebounder and versatile defender capable of staying in front of smaller guards for a bit when he gets caught on one in a switch, but his real defensive impact comes in the form of blocking shots on the interior. He’ll look to become more assertive and more consistent from long range before he takes the floor at Indiana."
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