[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Mackenzie Mgbako
Frame: 6’8″ 220 lbs
Position: Forward
Team: Indiana Hoosiers
2024 Draft Age: 19
Stats via www.basketball-reference.com

Offense

Mgbako’s appeal as a prospect comes from his three-point shooting. Despite shooting 34.4 percent on 143 attempts on the season, according to www.barttorvik.com, diving into the numbers suggests he has improved as the season has gone along, shooting 37.8 percent in conference play.

Mgbako’s high release is difficult for opposing players to contest. He does a good job following through but has some mechanical issues that (once addressed) could lead to more success from behind the arc. He drops his guide hand when he lets the ball go, which can hurt his accuracy. Mgbako often has his shooting elbow bent out, removing some of the arc from the shot.

Primarily, Mgbako works as a spot-up shooter who can occasionally come off stagger screens but does not have the agility or footspeed to shoot off screens and get off shots quickly. He is currently shooting 81.2 percent on 101 free throws thus far into the season, suggesting that his shot can translate at the next level, but the mechanical issues in his form are still visible when at the line. 

Mgbako isn’t a mid-range threat but can rip through off the catch and take two dribbles into space. He is shooting 36.0 percent on 89 attempts while being assisted on 37.5 percent of these shots. Mgbako struggles with executing more than two dribble moves at a time without picking up his dribble or having it poked away. As such, he has difficulty executing as a ball handler in pick and rolls and getting to his spots on the floor.

Around the rim, Mgbako has been disappointing thus far. The powerful athleticism he flashed in high school has yet to translate to the collegiate level. Despite his size, he has been a below-the-rim athlete who has struggled to finish amongst bigs. His lack of a burst prevents him from getting past his man consistently, meaning his shots around the rim are contested. He has shown some ability to recognize open areas on the floor as a cutter but has not been consistent during his collegiate career. He is shooting 59.2 percent on 71 attempts while being assisted on 40.5 percent of these shots.

Defense

The most underwhelming part of Mgbako’s game has been his lack of contributions on the defensive side of the floor. Despite his measurements, Mgbako has not been a factor whatsoever as a help defender. He frequently is caught ball-watching and loses his man, leading to an advantage or open look for the offense. He does not provide any weak side rim protection and does not pick off passing lanes. Even on the strong side, one pass away, Mgbako will be a step slow to react.

As an on-ball defender, Mgbako has shown more flashes; despite not possessing plus lateral quickness, he can use his size to keep wings in front of him. When ball handlers opt to shoot on Mgbako without creating much space, he does an adequate job of contesting it. However, against shiftier ball handlers or players that thrive off creating separation on jump shots, Mgbako’s limited athleticism gives him little chance at effectively contesting their attempts.

Another aspect of his game that has yet to pop is rebounding at just 4.0 per game. Most are uncontested, coming when he crashes to the glass with teammates boxing out their men or crowd the rim anticipating the ball. He has not offered much in the way of contested rebounds and fighting amongst forwards or bigs for boards, but he is also playing on the perimeter almost exclusively, which doesn’t help him here. 

Looking Ahead

Mbako entered the season as a highly touted dynamic two-way freshman, but his profile is the opposite. The power and athleticism he showcased in high school have been invisible, instead wholly replaced with an outside jumper that warrants some intrigue as a 6’8″ floor spacer. 

The regression as an athlete and defender leads to questions about how his game will translate to the next level with no real handle, shot creation, or playmaking present. 

Mgbako expects to be picked in the bottom half of the second round at best, with his most favorable option likely being to hit the transfer portal at season’s end. He projects as a league-average to slightly above-league-average shooter off a bench with the upside for more if he can improve on the defensive end.