Jon Rothstein Names Three Hoosiers as Breakout, Impact Players in 2023-24

College basketball reporter Jon Rothstein released his Big Ten Offseason Breakdown on Monday. He listed Malik Reneau as a breakout player, Mackenzie Mgbako as an impact freshman and Kel'el Ware as an impact transfer. Indiana came in at No. 8 in Rothstein's preseason power rankings.

CBS Sports' national college basketball reporter Jon Rothstein published a Big Ten Offseason Breakdown on Monday.

The article featured Big Ten power rankings, projected starting lineups, first-team All-Big Ten, preseason Big Ten Player of the Year and awards like preseason sleeper team, breakout players, top freshmen and impact transfers.

Indiana was mentioned on a number of these lists, beginning with Rothstein's preseason Big Ten Power rankings. He gave the defending Big Ten champion Purdue Boilermakers the No. 1 spot, then slotted the Hoosiers at No. 8 in the conference, behind Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois, Maryland, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Rutgers. 

Rothstein projects Indiana coach Mike Woodson plays a starting lineup of Xavier Johnson, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau and Kel'el Ware. 

No Indiana players were listed in Rothstein's preseason first-team All-Big Ten, which included Northwestern's Boo Buie, Michigan State's Tyson Walker, Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr., Rutgers' Clifford Omoruyi and Purdue's Zach Edey. Rothstein gave Edey the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, and named Penn State as his Big Ten Preseason Sleeper. 

Indiana forward Malik Reneau is returning for his sophomore season with expectations of playing a larger role, and Rothstein listed him as one of 10 Big Ten Breakout Players. The 6-foot-9 Reneau is a former top-40 recruit, and he averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game as a freshman, playing 14.9 minutes per game behind Indiana veteran forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson. 

Reneau recently met with the media to discuss his offseason training and look forward to next season. To read that article by HoosiersNow.com writer Jack Ankony, CLICK HERE.

Along with Reneau, Rothstein's Big Ten Breakout Players included Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn, Michigan State's Jaden Akins, Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli, Rutgers' Derek Simpson, Iowa Dasonte Bowen, Michigan's Tarris Reed, Nebraska's Jamarques Lawrence and Ohio State's Roddy Gayle. Rothstein did not consider players who averaged 10-plus points as candidates for the breakout-player list. 

Indiana newcomers Mackenzie Mgbako and Kel'el Ware were also mentioned in Rothstein's Big Ten Offseason Breakdown. Mgbako, a 6-foot-8 small forward and consensus five-star recruit, was named to the 10 Impact Big Ten Freshman list, along with Michigan State's Xavier Booker, Coen Carr and Jeremy Fears, Maryland's DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser, Ohio State's Taison Chatman, Devin Royal and Scotty Middleton and Rutgers' Gavin Griffiths.

Mackenzie Mgbako no.9 in the ESPN 100 commits to Indiana.

Analysis:
Mgbako will bring the Hoosiers high-level shooting ability and is especially strong inside the arc with long 2-pointers and mid-range shots. He is a proven catch-and-shoot 3-point threat. Because of his… pic.twitter.com/vX70xF3ZKB

— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) May 12, 2023

Ware spent his freshman year at Oregon, where he averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 15.8 minutes per game. It was an underwhelming season for the former top-10 recruit and McDonald's All-American, but many think Ware, a projected first-round pick in next year's NBA Draft, could be in line for a big season at Indiana due to his versatility at 7-feet tall. 

Rothstein listed Ware in the 15 Impact Big Ten Transfers list, along with Illinois' Quincy Guerrier and Marcus Domask, Maryland's Jordan Geronimo, Wisconsin's AJ Storr, Northwestern's Ryan Langborg, Rutgers' Noah Fernandes, Michigan's Olivier Nkamhoua, Ohio State's Jamison Battle, Iowa's Ben Krikke, Penn State's Ace Baldwin, D'Marco Dunn, Puff Johnson and Qudus Wahab and Nebraska's Rienk Mast.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• FLAND ANNOUNCES TOP 8: Boogie Fland, a top-15 player in the class of 2024, announced a top-eight list on Monday, which includes Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, Maryland, UConn and St. John's. CLICK HERE
• IU UNLIKELY TO LAND BIDUNGA: Flory Bidunga, a five-star center in the class of 2024 from Kokomo High School, said over the weekend that he will not take anymore visits before announcing his college decision. Indiana was heavily involved with his recruitment, but signs point to Bidunga heading elsewhere. CLICK HERE
• NGONGBA FILM BREAKDOWN: Patrick Ngongba II announced yesterday that Indiana is among his final eight schools. The 6-foot-11 center in the class of 2024 is also considering Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Kansas State, Providence and defending national champion UConn. CLICK HERE