Mackenzie Mgbako is flying under-the-radar on Indiana because of Kel'el Ware, but, he looks like a legitimate first round prospect.
Background:
6'8 / Nigerian-American background
Former 5 star recruit
Former McDonald's All American
Lethal shooter in high school
He originally had a verbal commitment to Duke. Then Kyle Filipowski decided to come back and that likely impacted his decision to instead go to Indiana. He is a potential Big 10 Freshman of the Year averaging: 12/4/1 on fairly average shooting splits 41/34/81.
Through his first five games with IU, he shot just 32 percent from the field and 7.7 percent from 3-point range for 5.0 points per game. He is peaking at the right time as over the past five games he is averaging 16.4 PPG on 45/41/74.
I think he projects as a stretch four in college but could see some time at the three in the NBA. Honestly, I think he can expand his game with development. He reminds me a lot of Keegan Murray who had a much worse first year at Iowa until he blew up in year two. At worst, I think he can become a Naz Reid type of stretch four.
I read that his goal is to be a one and done, so it really only takes one team to like his game which I think will translate well to the NBA. He is still going to need G-League time as any prospect, but I predict that he ends up a good rotation player and worth a first.
Mike Woodson has good info about him:
“For a freshman, and where we started with this young man and where he is today, I’m happy as hell,” Woodson said on his radio show Monday. “He’s improving, right in front of us.”
“He’s very strong,” Woodson said. “He’s gotten more and-ones this year than probably anybody on our team. So I’m pleased with that. You’ve got to have somebody on your team that can break somebody down and go get fouled, and he’s a pretty good free-throw shooter. So that helps. You get fouled, you’ve got to go to to the line and make them.”
“He still has a ways to go, in terms of his defense. We’re just trying to get him where he’s comfortable on the floor defensively,” Woodson said. “Cause sometimes plays happen so fast for these young guys, they don’t see it. And as you go through the Big Ten, you’ll start to figure that part of it out.”
https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/mackenzie-mgbako-is-reaching-a-new-level-offensively-late-in-indianas-season-with-room-still-to-grow/