Mackenzie Mgbako transfer portal: Top 5 landing spots for Indiana forward ft. Oregon

The Mike Woodson era at Indiana is over, and Mackenzie Mgbako decided his time with the Hoosiers is over as well. Mgbako announced on social media Monday that he will be entering the transfer portal and the NBA draft.

As a sophomore, Mgbako made 31 starts and put up 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Let's look at some possible landing spots for the young forward.

#1, Oregon Ducks

Oregon is a guard-heavy team, but the Ducks will still need to address their forward issue this offseason. Bradon Angel, Oregon's top-performing forward, is out of eligibility.

Angel and Mgbako have similar styles of play, but Mgbako outscores and outrebounds Angel. The two forwards have identical assist averages from this season. Angel shot an admirable 53.6% this season, nearly 10% better than Mgbako, but Mgbako could provide the Ducks with a high-scoring forward with rebounding ability in Angel's absence.

Oregon made a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance this season and dominated Liberty in the first round before narrowly falling to Arizona in the Round of 32. Playing for the Ducks could allow Mgbako to contribute to a school with recent postseason success.

#2, Kansas Jayhawks

As they look ahead to next season, the Jayhawks will have to determine what a season without many of their star players will look like. One of these stars is forward KJ Adams Jr.

Adams and Mgbako find similar levels of shooting success. Mgbako outscores Adams, with 12.2 ppg compared to Adams' 9.4. The two forwards record similar numbers of rebounds. Mgbako could provide Kansas with a similar style of play to what they've come to expect from Adams.

Kansas is also an iconic basketball program, and playing there could provide Mgbako with more national attention and a chance to grow on a Jayhawks team that's rebuilding.

#3, Clemson Tigers

Clemson has been hot as of late, making it to the Elite Eight last season and earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year. The Tigers were upset by McNeese State in the Round of 64 but have still emerged as a strong program.

Star forward Ian Schieffelin just finished his college career, and Clemson will need someone to take his place. Schieffelin shoots better than Mgbako and puts up an impressive 9.4 rpg as compared to Mgbako's 4.6. The two are not similar players, but they average similar scoring.

Mgbako could be of value to the Tigers with Schieffelin gone, and playing for Clemson would give Mgbako a chance to compete with a solid postseason contender.

#4, Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama is another team losing its top forward after this season. The Crimson Tide, who are set to face BYU in the Sweet 16, will lose Grant Nelson when its March Madness run comes to an end.

Nelson, like Schieffelin, is a forward who finds great rebounding success. He leads Alabama in rebounding with 7.5 per game. Mgbako still needs to work on his rebounding skills to get them to that same level, but he outscores Nelson. Nelson shoots significantly better than Mgbako, so the Crimson Tide might be looking for a stronger shooter with more rebounding talent. Still, Mgbako could be a decent choice for the team's next star forward.

#5, Louisville Cardinals

Louisville is in a somewhat similar spot to Oregon, making the team another possible landing spot for Mgbako. The Cardinals play guard-heavy basketball like the Ducks, and both teams have experienced postseason success recently.

This season, Louisville made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 but fell to Creighton in the first round. Kasean Pryor is the team's top forward and has one season of eligibility remaining. He has yet to announce if he is returning to Louisville but if not, Mgbako could be a good fit.

Mgbako is a better shooter than Pryor and slightly outscores him, 12.2 ppg to 12.0. Pryor's 6.1 rpg is more than Mgbako's 4.6, but the two are similar players. If Pryor doesn't return to the Cardinals, Mgbako would fill his shoes nicely.