Indiana basketball beats out Kansas for 5-star forward

Indiana basketball added a 5-star forward to its 2023-24 roster on Friday evening.

The Hoosiers picked up a commitment from Mackenzie Mgbako, one of the top players in the country for the class of 2023. A former Duke signee, Mgbako picked IU over Kansas.

Here’s his announcement:

NEWS: 2023 five-star Mackenzie Mgbako, a former Duke signee, tells me he’s committed to Indiana.

“I chose IU because I felt that Coach Woodson can put me in a position to expand and develop my game. The environment at Indiana is unmatched.”

Story: https://t.co/lD1Y9eNHZj pic.twitter.com/CgonlTFuZq

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 12, 2023

Mgbako requested his release from his Duke letter of intent earlier this offseason. He took a visit to Bloomington prior to deciding between the Hoosiers and Jayhawks.

This is a massive recruiting win for Mike Woodson and his staff. Mgbako is a candidate to start at power forward next season alongside incoming transfer center Kel’el Ware.

He’s currently ranked as the No. 8 overall player and the No. 2 power forward in the country, per 247Sports Composite rankings.

Mgbako attends Roselle Catholic High School in Gladstone, New Jersey. He’s listed at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds.

Indiana’s incoming recruiting class includes a pair of 4-star freshmen guards: Gabe Cupps and Jakai Newton. The Hoosiers have also added 3 transfers this offseason as they look to overhaul their roster from a year ago.