2023 SF/PF Mackenzie Mgbako to Texas A&M via Portal

[HoosierHoopster]

11 minutes ago, str8baller said:

In terms of highly rated talent, yes. And this is the B1G’s real problem.   
 

But we’re still going to be a big team that punishes people around the hoop that is still fairly low on elite guard play and shooting. 

I guess it depends on your def of elite guard play. Certainly had it with JHS. This season X will be one of the best B1G guards. I wouldn’t call Gallo elite, but he’s strong on both sides of the ball and his shooting was good this past season. Given current recruiting, chances of landing elite guards going forward looks high

[Bowhunter]

I’m glad we have size but in todays game it’s better to be quick than tall.

[Scotty R]

I have said the last few years that IU and the big ten as a whole wasn't in the same area code when he came to athleticism. I watch the SEC and the Big 12 and we didn't look like we were playing the same sport.

 

I will say IU is now catching up on this category.

 

Ware 7'0 long and athletic

 

Reneau 6'8 pretty long 

 

MM 6'9 long and athletic 

 

Walker 6'9 long and athletic

 

Sparks 6'9 not really athletic but long 

 

Banks 6'8 long and athletic

 

Gunn 6'6 long and athletic 

[Tom White]

19 minutes ago, Stromboli said:

I don’t recall Purdue being a problem since Woodson got here, anyway…

 

Hehehe....love it.

[Adillac]

My concern for this years team and possibly going forward is a lack of high skill or elite guards. Guys like Oladipo and JHS. Though they are different style players they are small enough to be good defenders, big enough to handle some in between assignments and can shoot well. 
 

I feel like we don’t ever have enough quality guard play here. I hope that changes soon. Either way, excited to see how this team looks next year. 

[Hoosier987]

1 hour ago, Adillac said:

My concern for this years team and possibly going forward is a lack of high skill or elite guards. Guys like Oladipo and JHS. Though they are different style players they are small enough to be good defenders, big enough to handle some in between assignments and can shoot well. 
 

I feel like we don’t ever have enough quality guard play here. I hope that changes soon. Either way, excited to see how this team looks next year. 

This will be addressed for our last scholarship. 

[Honkyman]

2 hours ago, Adillac said:

My concern for this years team and possibly going forward is a lack of high skill or elite guards. Guys like Oladipo

Oladipo was not a highly skilled player when he arrived at IU. In high school, virtually all of his points came from dunks. But he was athletic and over time became highly skilled.

[Golfman25]

5 hours ago, go iu bb said:

Everyone seems to have forgotten that IU had a pro day before the season started and the scouts came away from that very impressed by JHS. So it's not like JHS came out of nowhere towards the end of the season to work himself into a 1st round pick. It's more like he was already on the radar and had some really good games which showed he could perform well in games and not just workouts.

It's things like that pro day that I think Woodson will continue to do to help his guys get drafted. I'm sure the other big schools probably do that too, it's nice that IU has started to. It's also a recruiting tool against any schools which don't typically do that, such as IU until now.

One thing about a Woodson pro day is it’s like a reunion. :)

[JSHoosier]

https://www.si.com/college/indiana/basketball/tom-brew-my-two-cents-times-are-changing-at-indiana-with-mackenzie-mgbako-commitment

[schoosier]

8 hours ago, mbredenk101 said:

I think we've always played in the grey when it comes to recruiting. I just don't think we have been very good at it over the last 25+ years.

Sent from my SM-F936U1 using BtownBanners mobile app
 

Read below from Tom Brew at FanNation. Perhaps he explains it better than me. I would also note that cheating and Kansas go hand in hand unlike at Indiana. They paid Hoosier farm boys from the 30’s to No class/get degree from Coca Cola Roy to the latest Adidas cheating on tape. While not as prolific as Kentucky or UCLA with Wooden, Kansas comes in a close third to the other 2.

Many thought Kansas was the front-runner, and that they could outbid Indiana in this new NIL world.

That didn't happen. Indiana's NIL system is in place, and solid. They did more than enough to make Mgbako about coming to Bloomington and playing for the Hoosiers.

"It works hand in hand with the decision," he said during his ESPN interview. "You get paid for what you love to do. Indiana has great NIL opportunities."

[IUHoosier5]

His commitment day 6am workout shows MM already rocking IU gear 

 

 

[J34]

4 hours ago, Adillac said:

My concern for this years team and possibly going forward is a lack of high skill or elite guards. Guys like Oladipo and JHS. Though they are different style players they are small enough to be good defenders, big enough to handle some in between assignments and can shoot well. 
 

I feel like we don’t ever have enough quality guard play here. I hope that changes soon. Either way, excited to see how this team looks next year. 

Not sure it gets any more elite than a 6th year Xavier (healthy). Imagine the punishment he will put on defenses, with a spread offense. Just need guys hitting shots. This will be our first year to get a glimpse of what CMW wants his team's to look like. Long, athletic, and interchangeable players. I feel confident in this staff to replenish talent, regardless of "position".

[Josh]

2 hours ago, JSHoosier said:

https://www.si.com/college/indiana/basketball/tom-brew-my-two-cents-times-are-changing-at-indiana-with-mackenzie-mgbako-commitment

If I do my job, I will have the opportunity to start. -Mgbako.  I love this quote

[Henryville Hoosier]

20 minutes ago, IUHoosier5 said:

His commitment day 6am workout shows MM already rocking IU gear 

 

 

Watching that gets me PUMPED!!!

[HoosierInParadise]

Read below from Tom Brew at FanNation. Perhaps he explains it better than me. I would also note that cheating and Kansas go hand in hand unlike at Indiana. They paid Hoosier farm boys from the 30’s to No class/get degree from Coca Cola Roy to the latest Adidas cheating on tape. While not as prolific as Kentucky or UCLA with Wooden, Kansas comes in a close third to the other 2.

Many thought Kansas was the front-runner, and that they could outbid Indiana in this new NIL world.
That didn't happen. Indiana's NIL system is in place, and solid. They did more than enough to make Mgbako about coming to Bloomington and playing for the Hoosiers.
"It works hand in hand with the decision," he said during his ESPN interview. "You get paid for what you love to do. Indiana has great NIL opportunities."

I think I read too much into your original post. I get what you are saying and agree that IU has stepped it up in the NIL era so far. Some of our fan base like to act like IU has never operated in the grey areas of recruiting. When comparing IU to other programs, I understand what you are getting at.

Sent from my SM-F936U1 using BtownBanners mobile app

[RaceToTheTop]

4 hours ago, Hardwood83 said:

You're not wrong. When Al Durham was starting a few yrs ago I would often think "he should be the 9th or 10th man on a legit IU roster" Great guy, just not who you want playing 30+ mins/game. Somewhat similar with Trey, I think he is perfect to come in for 4-5min bursts a few times a game. Definitely want him in the rotation, but more like 18-20 mins instead of 28mins like last year. But gotta have someone to earn those minutes over him first, though.

Then again, Al Durham was a starter on a Providence team that won the Big East, went to the sweet sixteen and scored 21 points in their sweet sixteen game when they only lost by 5 to 1 seed Kansas.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich]

19 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Then again, Al Durham was a starter on a Providence team that won the Big East, went to the sweet sixteen and scored 21 points in their sweet sixteen game when they only lost by 5 to 1 seed Kansas.

Sure... He also somehow got WAY worse at shooting the basketball in his one year at Providence.

[Adillac]

Out of like 50+ guards over the last decade, here are the ones that we were confident were going to make a good decision or could hit a shot or not turn the ball over: Oladipo, Hulls, JHS, Yogi, Blackmon. 
 

Xavier can be electric but no I don’t trust him with the ball. I trusted JHS 5x more than him. Gonna miss Jalen lol. He was very rare. Xavier is a nice player but I hope Cupps is better than your typical skinny top 150 freshman so he can help when Xavier has one of his bad games. 

[CSP]

5 minutes ago, Adillac said:

Out of like 50+ guards over the last decade, here are the ones that we were confident were going to make a good decision or could hit a shot or not turn the ball over: Oladipo, Hulls, JHS, Yogi, Blackmon. 
 

Xavier can be electric but no I don’t trust him with the ball. I trusted JHS 5x more than him. Gonna miss Jalen lol. He was very rare. Xavier is a nice player but I hope Cupps is better than your typical skinny top 150 freshman so he can help when Xavier has one of his bad games. 

Xavier is a real PG though, JHS isn't. JHS doesn't distribute, drive and kick nesrly as well as XJ. 

[Adillac]

I found JHS to be more a distributor than X. JHS was a master at the pick n roll. Made it look easy.