5-Star SF Mackenzie Mgbako Commits to Duke over Kentucky, Memphis, More

Any time a college program can land a player who has drawn comparisons to Jayson Tatum, it is a good day on the recruiting trail.

That is exactly what happened to the Duke Blue Devils on Friday when Mackenzie Mgbako joined their 2023 recruiting class. He is the second five-star recruit to commit to Duke over the last two days, joining Tyrese Proctor.

Mgbako, who checks in at 6'7" and 185 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 3 overall player, No. 1 small forward and No. 2 player from the state of New Jersey in his class.

The list of interested programs at one point included Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Memphis, Ohio State and Michigan.

His overall versatility immediately makes him stand out as someone who can defend multiple positions, battle for rebounds because of his length, shoot from the outside and get to the rim off the bounce. His combination of athleticism and size makes him a matchup nightmare for opponents.

Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated noted Mgbako has been compared to Tatum because, like the Boston Celtics star, he can score from all over the floor at his size.

"I definitely want to play like Jayson Tatum, but I'm still trying to get there," Mgbako said. "I actually FaceTimed him before so that was pretty cool. For me, it's all about the fit, and that's something I feel like will come to me in time. I may take a couple unofficials, but I'm done with officials right now. I'm not in a big hurry. I may cut my list during the season, and I could see myself deciding next summer. Right now, I'm just enjoying the process."

That process resulted in a significant victory on the recruiting trail for Duke, as Mgbako figures to be a key part of its offensive attack and overall team defense during his freshman season. He could be off to the NBA after just one year if he lives up to his potential, but he is talented enough to guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four while in college.

This is also a notable recruiting development for Jon Scheyer, who is tasked with following in the footsteps of a legend in head coach Mike Krzyzewski. The only way he will be able to maintain Duke's status as an annual national title contender is by landing players like Mgbako, and he did just that on Friday.

Mgbako could be off to the NBA after just one year if he lives up to his potential, but he is talented enough to guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four while in college.