NCAA Basketball: Will 5-star Mackenzie Mgbako play for Indiana or Kansas?

Indiana Hoosiers

After losing five of the team’s six top scorers, the Hoosiers needed to add some talent, particularly in the frontcourt. They added three transfers down low, including former five-star center Kel’el Ware from Oregon. He joins the top returning scorer Malik Reneau, who also is a former five-star prospect a year ago.

The idea of a Ware-Reneau-Mgbako frontcourt wouldn’t be the most experienced group in NCAA Basketball but it would have one of the higher ceilings. And it would provide a chance for Mgbako to take a leading role out of the gate and play second fiddle.

It’s not as if the backcourt is going to take up most of the usage rate now that Jalen Hood-Schifino is off to the NBA. Veteran point guard Xavier Johnson is back for a 6th year so the team does have an experienced player to run the offense. But after missing out on a few transfer targets, the shooting guard position is still open for the time being.

Even with Mgbako, Indiana still wouldn’t be above Kansas in the NCAA Basketball power rankings but the talent disparity wouldn’t be as much. And most importantly, the five-star forward would not only have a large role with the Hoosiers but also potentially be the leading scorer on the roster next season.