Pro Insight scout on Mackenzie Mgbako
Bull City Hoops, once again, chats with Pro Insight scout Michael Visenberg. This time, it’s all about super junior Mackenzie Mgbako.
Mackenzie Mgbako is one of the very best juniors in the entire United States. The 6-foot-8 forward is athletic, long, skilled with the dribble and has a pure, wet jumper from distance. He is rated by most ranking services as one of the top two or three prospects in his class.
Duke beat out a host of elite high majors for Mgbako’s commitment. Those schools included Kentucky, Memphis, UCLA, North Carolina and Ohio State.
Mgbako has the size, skill-set and versatility to follow in the long line of hybrid forwards with guard skills that have excelled at Duke. He’s a terrific prospect and he had his moments at the Nike Hoop Summit recently.
Bull City Hoops reached out to Oregon native, and respected basketball scout, Michael Visenberg of Pro Insight, who saw the long forward from the Gladstone, N.J. at the aforementioned event.
“Mgbako has good size for a combo forward with a great shooting stroke,” he said. “Sets his feet quickly and can shoot off movement. Also has some ability to attack close outs, making passing reads.”
The Oregon scout also praised him on his defensively versatility — something that is important to Jon Scheyer’s team construct plans moving forward.
“Also showed defensive ability, so potential to switch onto multiple positions, moves pretty well in space,” he added.
“The long range shooting and high release are what really stood out with him.” — Michael Visenberg
But the calling card for the slender junior is definitely his ability to score, shoot and his range is outstanding.
“The long range shooting and high release are what really stood out with him. In the last practice scrimmage, he nailed a couple international range threes to give his team the win in the final World intra squad scrimmage,” Visenberg noted.
As always, with regards to incoming Duke recruits, fans, alumni and recruitniks always want to be able to visualize the player and what type of role they’d play. Does Mgbako play most similarly to Luol Deng, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Singler or Jayson Tatum? Or maybe it’s AJ Griffin due to his great stroke and extended range?
Visenberg offered his thoughts, as he always does.
“Some similarities (to Griffin) but not that type of strength or on-ball ability, but some parallels in terms of big-time shooting potential and solid positional defense,” he said.
He felt that he’s be best utilized in a spaced out approach where he can showcase his dead-eye accuracy or make decisions with the ball.
“Want to get him moving off ball, get him in spot up situations and have him as a pick and pop threat. Getting him some space or with a closeout coming towards him, he is a big threat.”