NCAA Basketball: Analyzing 4 teams in play for 5-star forward Mackenzie Mgbako

Louisville Cardinals

After winning just four games this past season, Coach Kenny Payne and the Cardinals are looking to add talent in a variety of ways. They’ve already landed two five-star prospects this offseason alone, landing former Minnesota commit Dennis Evans and class of ’24 reclass guard Trentyn Flowers.

The issue here is that Louisville has many more forwards than they do guards. And the team even added Miami transfer Danilo Jovanovich, a 6’8 forward that was redshirted this past season. They have returning forwards JJ Traynor and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield along with four-star incoming freshmen, Curtis Williams and Kaleb Glenn. It’s not that Mgbako isn’t better than all of those guys but would he really leave one crowded situation to another one that’s much worse as a team?

St. John’s Red Storm

If the Rutgers Scarlet Knights end up not being in the mix, that makes St. John’s the “local” option for Mgbako. And they made arguably the best coaching hire this offseason in Hall of Famer and national champion winner, Rick Pitino. There will be plenty of eyes on this program this upcoming season and a big year from anyone there will certainly get the attention of scouts.

The playing there is also clear. The Red Storm has added a few guards but to this point, the only frontcourt transfer they added was Quinn Slazinski. He was largely a role player at Iona under Coach Pitino and there’s no question that Mgbako would start over him. It’s a situation where the five-star can have an instant leading role and put up big numbers in Madison Square Garden as well.