Indiana basketball 5-star target not surprised by Mackenzie Mgbako commitment

Mike Woodson and the Indiana basketball staff have put a full court press on numerous five-star prospects since taking over the program. It landed two five-stars in the 2022 class and recently notched its highest overall recruit in the Woodson era.

But, the most recent five-star commitment was no shock to one Indiana basketball target.

After Mackenzie Mgbako made his pledge to the Hoosiers on Friday, 2024 five-star guard Dylan Harper made it known he wasn’t surprised by the commitment.

“He already committed? It was Indiana. Right?” Harper told Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy. “I knew it. I mean, he didn’t tell me or anything. I just assumed it was Indiana because Mike Woodson is going to put him in the best position to succeed and to get to the next level.”

Harper, from New Jersey like Mgbako, has been a target for the Hoosiers for much of the last year. He currently has Indiana as one of his finalists, including Kansas, Auburn, Rutgers and Duke.

Sources have been steady saying that Rutgers and Duke are the top two programs in this recruitment. But, Indiana’s recent surge with five-star success is notable.

That, along with style of play, is catching the eye of Harper.

“He’s (Mike Woodson) an NBA coach. He knows how to get people the ball and let them go,” Harper added. “That’s what I really love about them. They have an NBA play style.”

Harper is a 6-foot-4 combo guard from Don Bosco Prep (NJ) and ranked No. 2 in the 247Sports composite rankings. He is also the No. 1 combo guard in the class. He’s the No. 3 player in the Rivals150 rankings.

He averaged 23.4 points per game for Don Bosco this past season.

Currently, Harper is averaging 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game for NY Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit in 11 games.

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

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