No Mass Exodus After All
After landing a McDonald’s All-American from the class of 2024 earlier in the week, Mike Woodson learned he would be retaining the services of his 2023 McDonald’s All-American, Mackenzie Mgbako.
Prior to his announcement, which came via Instagram, the thought was that he would try to get feedback from NBA teams before making a decision on whether to return to college or not. He certainly ended the season playing well enough to at least get a look.
Mgbako had his first 20-point game of the season on February 18th in a close loss to Northwestern, which he followed up with a 22-point performance against Nebraska in the next game. He went 6/14 (43%) from 3-point range in those two games.
He had a season high 24 points against Maryland on March 3rd with four 3-pointers and reached double-digit scoring in each of Indiana’s last six games, including the five game winning streak at the end of the season before the loss in the Big Ten Tournament.
Had Mgbako played like that all year, he could have been more firmly on the NBA radar, but it did take some time for him to adjust to the college game. Woodson had him playing more confidently by the end of the year though, unlocking his driving ability and shooting stroke.
His decision to return to Indiana definitely raises the floor and ceiling for next season and could make Indiana a more attractive destination for portal players who want to play with elite talent. It also signals a faith in Woodson’s ability to continue developing him into a surefire NBA player.
With Mgbako on the wing and Bryson Tucker giving Indiana some options as a guard/wing type, Indiana can now focus its portal efforts on finding guards, shooters, and a rim protector.