One of the biggest storylines in NCAA Basketball this entire offseason was actually a two-part saga involving the Duke Blue Devils. They became one of the biggest winners, landing a trio of former five-star prospects, including forwards Mark Mitchell and Kyle Filipowski. That impacted their incoming freshman class, essentially forcing Mackenzie Mgbako out.
Mgbako is a combo-forward prospect out of New Jersey and is one of the best available players out there, either from the transfer portal or the high school level. He’s a consensus five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, ranking in the top 10 overall. The 6’8 wing is a supreme athlete and quality shooter, capable of making shots efficiently from deep.
After he parted ways with Duke, Mgbako got plenty of interest from power conference programs. While there was never an official list of options, four teams were set to receive a visit. They were St. John’s, Kansas, Indiana, and supposed to be Louisville before an update came out in regards to his recruitment.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mackenzie Mgbako’23 @MackenzieMgbako is down to a final 2: Kansas & Indiana pic.twitter.com/TdR0fmjmES
— 𝒜𝓃𝒹𝓇ℯ𝓌 𝒮𝓁𝒶𝓉ℯ𝓇 (@Andrew__Slater) May 9, 2023
This is a definite blow to Louisville, who wasn’t even able to host Mgbako. And it stings for St. John’s and new head coach Rick Pitino, who could’ve easily solid the prospect of being a focal point of the offense. But instead, it’s down to two NCAA Basketball powerhouse programs in Kansas and Indiana.
Which of them is the best potential landing spot for Mgbako? Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of each option ahead of a decision that’ll have a major impact on the upcoming season.