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With six scholarships remaining to fill, Mackenzie Mgbako’s return to Indiana is a crucial roster domino to fall.

The most recent update on the Indiana basketball roster came Saturday afternoon, revealing that Mackenzie Mgbako, the Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year, will be returning to Bloomington for another season. This news, reported by 247Sports national analyst Dushawn London, was confirmed when Mgbako shared a graphic on his Instagram profile with the caption “Run It Back #HoosierNation”.

After a period of uncertainty surrounding Mgbako’s future, his decision to stay at Indiana for his sophomore year marks a significant development for Mike Woodson and his coaching staff. Initially, Mgbako was considering testing the NBA Draft waters this spring to gather feedback from executives and scouts before making a decision, but it seems he is now fully committed to Indiana.

Mgbako becomes the sixth player from last season’s IU team to confirm their return, joining Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, Gabe Cupps, and Jakai Newton. Additionally, Indiana secured a commitment from Bryson Tucker, a 2024 McDonald’s All-American wing, earlier this week, bringing their scholarship count to seven filled and six still available.

Mgbako’s progress throughout his freshman year offers promising glimpses of his potential for the upcoming season. Despite a rocky start, where foul trouble and defensive issues limited his playing time and production in the first half of the season, Mgbako showed significant improvement in the latter half. As he became more adept at avoiding fouls and staying on the court for longer stretches, his offensive confidence soared.

During a six-game stretch from February 18 to March 6, Mgbako demonstrated his scoring prowess by shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc and showcasing his ability to drive to the basket and finish through contact. While his defense still needs refinement, Mgbako showed progress as the season went on, becoming more fundamentally sound and aware on that end of the floor. Standing at 6-foot-8 and 217 pounds, his length and size suggest potential as a reliable defender with further development.