Indiana basketball officially signs Mackenzie Mgbako: ‘He has the chance to have an immediate impact on our program’

The Indiana basketball program has officially announced the signing of 2023 5-star Mackenzie Mgbako. Mgbako committed to Indiana last Friday over Kansas.

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Mgbako joins Oregon transfer Kel’el Ware as the two McDonald’s All-Americans on the Indiana basketball roster. This is the first time since the 2016-17 season that IU will have multiple McDonald’s All-Americans on the roster.

Mgbako is ranked as the No. 8 overall player in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

He averaged 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds as a senior at Roselle Catholic (NJ).

Below is the full release from the Indiana basketball program and comments from head coach Mike Woodson.

McDonald’s All-American Mackenzie Mgbako Joins Indiana’s 2023 Men’s Basketball Recruiting Class

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—Indiana University men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson has announced that McDonald’s All-American Mackenzie Mgbako, a 6-8, 210 lb.,  small forward from Gladstone, New Jersey and Roselle Catholic High School, will join the 2023 recruiting class and play for the Hoosiers this fall.  A consensus five-star recruit, he is ranked as the eighth best player in the Class of 2023 by Rivals.com, ninth by ESPN, and 10^th by 247Sports.

Mgbako, who is considered one of the top offensive players in the country, also played in this year’s Nike Hoop Summit, and had 22 points and eight rebounds for the World team.  He averaged 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds in his only season at Roselle Catholic for Coach Dave Boff, helping them to a NJSIAA Non-Public B state title.

He is a two-time NJ.com first-team All-State selection.  He averaged 19.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists as a junior at Gill St. Bernards School and was named Skyland Conference Player of the Year.  He played with the New Jersey Scholars for Coach Jason Harrigan on the EYBL circuit and averaged 16.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12 games.

He is the son of C.Y. and Daphne Mgbako and has an older brother, Ife, an older sister, Mikaylah, and a younger brother, Ethan. He was born November 18, 2004.

He is the 33rd Hoosier recruit who has played in the McDonald’s All-American game.  He and Oregon transfer sophomore center Kel’el Ware will give the Hoosiers two McDonald’s All-Americans on their roster for the first time since 2016-17. He is the highest rated Hoosier recruit since seventh ranked Romeo Langford chose IU in 2018.

Mgbako joins fellow incoming freshmen guard Gabe Cupps (91^st, 247Sports) from Centerville, Ohio and guard Jakai Newton (114^th, 247Sports) from Covington, Georgia and transfers Ware, junior forward Payton Sparks (Ball State) and graduate student forward Anthony Walker (Miami) as newcomers to the IU program.

MIKE WOODSON ON MACKENZIE MGBAKO

“Mackenzie is a dynamic player and an outstanding young man from a great family.  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.  Like most freshmen, he will benefit greatly from time in the weight room.  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.”

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball leaning on ‘untapped potential’ next year. But, there’s an excitement that comes with.

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