Since it took care of its frontcourt needs with the additions of Kel’El Ware, Payton Sparks and Anthony Walker, Indiana’s men’s basketball spring recruiting cycle since has seemingly been a slow-motion series of soul-crushing disappointments of players sought but not added.
The Hoosiers badly needed some shooting help, and prospects were disappearing by the day — some jilting the Hoosiers directly.
Mackenzie Mgbako was the Hoosiers’ final hope, and he checked all of Indiana’s boxes. A 6-foot-8 forward with a high ceiling who could shoot the ball well. A bridge between a rebuilt frontcourt and an experienced backcourt.
When Mgbako made Indiana one of two finalists for his services this week, hope was high within Hoosier Nation coach Mike Woodson could reel in a much-needed big fish.
On Friday, Mgbako indicated Woodson can, indeed, get his man and Indiana’s fans could celebrate and breathe a sigh of relief.
Via his social media accounts, Mgbako confirmed he is Indiana-bound.
Indiana won the services of Mgbako over Kansas. Mgbako also visited St. John’s during his re-recruitment this spring. He canceled a visit to Louisville scheduled for this weekend.
Mgbako was considered a top-10 recruit from the Class of 2023 by national recruiting sources. He will be eligible to play immediately for the Hoosiers. In terms of recruiting status, he is the most highly touted recruit to sign for Indiana since Romeo Langford committed in 2018.
Mgbako — a Gladstone, New Jersey, native — initially signed a letter of intent to play at Duke last November but pulled out of his commitment in March when the Blue Devils returned several players Mgbako anticipated would not be back.
Mgbako’s game is just what Indiana needs. At Roselle Catholic in 2023, Mgbako converted one-third of his field goals from 3-point range on his way to 17.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, according to NJ.com.
In five different games, Mgbako drained three or more 3-pointers with a high of five twice. Indiana needed to diversify its outside shooting, and a stretch forward was on the menu of needs for the Hoosiers.
How might Mgbako fit in? A potential starting five of Mgabako, Ware, Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway and Xavier Johnson would give the Hoosiers a sizable, athletic lineup.
Mgbako could probably be a stretch four in a smaller lineup.
Regardless of how Mgbako is used, the 2023-24 expectations for the Hoosiers have been raised. Mgbako was a needed piece to bridge the depth the Hoosiers have in the frontcourt to go with the experience in the backcourt.
With Mgbako, Indiana will likely be projected as a top-five Big Ten team. Without him, Indiana would have been scrambling to piece together an alternate plan.
“We have good size and talented guards, so with that combination and Coach Woodson’s coaching I believe we can win a conference championship this season,” Mgbako told 247sports.
The addition of Mgbako also changes the narrative of spring recruiting for the Hoosiers.
Earlier Friday, disappointment seemed to be the order of the day as former Pennsylvania guard and Ivy League Player of the Year Jordan Dingle, whom Indiana had an interest in, committed to St. John’s.
Indiana targeted several players who could have helped bolster its shooting but hasn’t been able to successfully convince any of them to come to Bloomington.
Chris Ledlum (Harvard to Tennessee), Nick Timberlake (Towson to Kansas), Chris Knecht (Northern Colorado to Tennessee), Jamison Battle (Minnesota to Ohio State) and Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame to North Carolina) are among those who have shunned the Hoosiers interest.
However, Mgbako puts Indiana’s fears of missing out on top prospects in the past.