BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mackenzie Mgbako’s freshman season at Indiana has come with flashes of NBA potential mixed with signs that there’s still plenty of room to grow.
Mgbako came to Indiana as the No. 8 player in the nation, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was originally committed to Duke, but later decommitted and flipped to Indiana on May 12. Before playing a game for the Hoosiers, to be a one-and-done lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.His freshman season started out slow, scoring four points or fewer in four of his first five games and shooting just 32% from the field. Once Mgbako settled into the college game, he began to excel offensively. He scored 10-plus points in each of the next eight games, including two Big Ten wins over Maryland and Michigan and a 14-point effort against Kansas.
As conference play ramped up, Mgbako became more of a focal point of Indiana’s offense. Since Dec. 21, he’s made 23-of-61 3-point attempts, or 37.7%. Through those ups and downs, Mgbako is now averaging 10.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks per game while shooting 38.5% from the field, 31.3% from 3-point range and 85.1% at the free throw line. Mgbako’s freshman season has raised the question of whether he’ll leave for the NBA after one season with the Hoosiers or return to college for his sophomore year.
One of his first comments on Mgbako was indicative of the learning lessons and growth he’s gone through as a freshman under Mike Woodson.
“I think Mackenzie is really raw as far as being a student of the game, but I think he’s somebody that does soak up the coaching,” Tulaba said. “I saw that first hand watching him practice. He’d be drilling stuff out then it would come time to scrimmage, and he would use what he learned in the scrimmages.”
Mgbako has taken on a larger role as his freshman season has gone on, attempting at least 10 shots from the field in eight of the last nine games after doing so just twice in his first 15 games. This higher usage stems mostly from more 2-point attempts, a sign of Mgbako being more assertive and aggressive in looking for his shot.
Though Mgbako is shooting just 31.3% on 3-pointers this season, he leads Indiana in both attempts, 99, and makes, 31. At 6-foot-8, Mgbako’s 3-point shooting creates NBA intrigue, though he’ll have to become more consistent. Tulaba sees potential for more in his offensive game, too.
He’s one of those guys that you can see the frame, and he can really shoot it,” Tulaba said. “I think he has more as a creator in his game than he’s showing at Indiana, where it feels like more of the time he’s kind of a spot-up guy.”
Mgbako’s most noticeable struggles this season have come on the defensive end, leading to Woodson sitting the 6-foot-8 freshman down the stretch of a few early nonconference games. He’s gotten better on that end throughout the season, but it remains a developmental focus for Woodson.