Mackenzie Mgbako is a former five-star recruit ranked as the eighth-best player in the nation per the 247sports Class of 2023 Composite Rankings. The star recruit was initially signed with the Duke basketball program but eventually asked out of his letter of intent after Kyle Filipowski announced his decision to return to Duke.
The New Jersey native eventually landed at Indiana, where he spent two seasons as a full-time starter. Mgbako averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 41.5% shooting from the field and 32.8% shooting from three across his two seasons in Bloomington.
The forward won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2024.
After the 2024-25 season, Mgbako elected to enter the transfer portal, and an ACC school is viewed as the favorite to land the #50 overall transfer and #8 transfer small forward per On3.
North Carolina State has emerged as the heavy frontrunner to land the former Hoosier's services after Mgbako visited the campus over the weekend. He has picked up a crystal ball prediction to NC State by 247sports insider R. Cory Smith with 100% confidence.
"Mgbako has a longstanding relationship with NC State general manager Andrew Slater that got the Wolfpack into initial discussions with him once he entered the portal," Smith said. "The two sides were spoke throughout the dead period, but got more serious leading up to the official visit on Friday after Kentucky added multiple bigs in the portal."
Will Wade, the newly hired head coach of the Wolfpack, who was previously at the helm for LSU and McNeese State, is looking to add another big-time recruit in the transfer portal as he looks to rebuild NC State's roster into a contender in the ACC. Wade has already added Quadir Copeland (McNeese State), Tre Holloman (Michigan State), and Alyn Breed (McNeese State). Although, Mgbako would surely be one of the program's biggest gets in the portal.
NC State is looking to become a threat in the ACC and is just one of the conference's programs that has put in a lot of work in the portal already. Louisville and Virginia are a few who have also brought in some big recruits via the transfer portal.
Duke has still had zero movement, both on which guys are leaving and which guys are staying. The Blue Devils will begin hearing those decisions from key guys in the coming days and weeks.