Woodson Says Mgbako Has Chance to Make Immediate Impact at Indiana
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana coach Mike Woodson had one of the biggest recruiting wins of his career on May 12 when five-star recruit Mackenzie Mgbako picked Indiana over Kansas.
The 6-foot-8 Mgbako fills glaring needs for Indiana as a three-level scoring wing on a roster that lost four starters from last year's No. 4 seed team. It also revealed where Woodson has positioned Indiana on a national scale after just two seasons– a program that landed a top-10 prospect over a perennial powerhouse while two players head to the NBA.
The Hoosiers lost veterans Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson, Miller Kopp and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jalen Hood-Schifino, giving Mgbako and others a chance to breathe life into the new-look roster.
"Mackenzie is a dynamic player and an outstanding young man from a great family," Woodson said in a release. "He has the chance to have an immediate impact on our program. He’s a tremendous offensive player who gives us athleticism, length and the ability to be an inside/out threat. He can beat people off the dribble, rebound, run the floor and guard multiple positions."
Mgbako is a McDonald's All-American and the No. 9 player in the class of 2023, per the ESPN Top 100. Out of Roselle Catholic in New Jersey, Mgbako was originally committed to Duke, but he requested a release from his National Letter of Intent on April 11, re-opening his recruitment.
Not only is Mgbako Indiana's highest-ranked high school recruit since Romeo Langford in 2018, that also makes him the second-highest ranked recruit in Indiana basketball history, per the 247Sports rankings.
Indiana's 2023 recruiting class – Mgbako, plus four-star guards Gabe Cupps and Jakai Newton – will arrive on campus in June, and Mgbako's commitment improved their ranking to No. 15 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten, according to On3.
Mgbako has already been listed in 2024 NBA mock drafts, but Woodson envisions a year in college boosting the wing's game.
"Like most freshmen, he will benefit greatly from time in the weight room," Woodson said. "He is a winner who has played against high-level competition and was a state champion in high school. We can’t wait to welcome him and his family to Bloomington.”
Indiana commit Mackenzie Mgbako pictured at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall during visit.
Indiana Athletics
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- MGBAKO CHOOSES INDIANA OVER KANSAS: Indiana picked up a massive commitment on Friday night from class of 2023 five-star recruit Mackenzie Mgbako. The 6-foot-8 McDonald's All-American from Roselle Catholic in New Jersey is the No. 9 player in the ESPN Top 100. CLICK HERE
