Duke basketball recruiting: Mackenzie Mgbako's signing plans

Next week, Mackenzie Mgbako will become Duke basketball's last 2023 signee.

Matt Giles | Nov 12, 2022

Duke basketball commit Mackenzie Mgbako (Alexander Lewis-USA TODAY Sports)

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Duke Blue Devils

Of the five 2023 Duke basketball prizes, five-star Mackenzie Mgbako is the only one who has yet to sign his national letter of intent. The other four — five-stars Caleb Foster, Jared McCain, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart — all did so on the first day of the fall signing period earlier this week.

So is there any reason to worry about the strength of Mgbako's commitment to the Blue Devils? None whatsoever.

This week, Zagsblog's Adam Zagoria reported that the 6-foot-8, 210-pound small forward plans to sign alongside two Roselle Catholic High School (N.J.) teammates on Tuesday, the second-to-last day of the early signing period.

Mackenzie Mgbako is the Blue Devils' highest-ranked 2023 commit at No. 5 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite.

First-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang currently boast the nation's top-ranked haul on the 2023 trail. However, they will fall to No. 2 behind Kentucky if top recruit DJ Wagner commits to the Wildcats; according to 247Sports' Travis Branham, Wagner is likely to do so early next week.

During Scheyer's press conference following Duke's 84-38 home win over USC Upstate on Friday night, he briefly spoke about his 2023 collection. But he noted that he is waiting for the fifth member of the bunch to sign before talking about them in detail.

"I know I can talk about [the signees], but I'd rather wait until all five of them do sign," Scheyer said. "I'm really proud of the group we have. They're special players, but they're special people. And they have great character. They believe in Duke, they believe in us, and we absolutely believe in them. So I'm really proud of what they've done. And I can't wait to get them here, get started, and get to work."

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.

Published Nov 12, 2022

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.