Mackenzie Mgbako generates buzz for upcoming visit to St. John’s

College Basketball

By Zach Braziller

April 27, 2023 | 10:46pm

In his tenure as St. John’s head coach, Rick Pitino so far has mostly landed complementary players, ones who can be productive, but have not generated national buzz.

The visitor this weekend is different.

St. John’s will be hosting five-star wing Mackenzie Mgbako of Roselle (N.J.) Catholic on an official visit Friday and Saturday, a source confirmed.

The 6-foot-8 Mgbako, a consensus top-10 prospect in the country, signed with Duke, but got out of his National Letter of Intent after multiple players at his position passed on the NBA to return to school at the ACC powerhouse.

Pitino and his staff already had made an in-home visit with Mgbako and there is confidence they have a legitimate shot at landing him.

He is also expected to visit Louisville, Kansas and Indiana.

There is a belief Pitino’s ability as a talent developer is appealing to Mgbako and his family.

Mgbako is among the coaching staff’s top priorities because of his elite talent and fit.

St. John’s is looking for a forward capable of stretching the floor to pair with Joel Soriano.

The Red Storm have five open scholarships remaining, and have been active with a number of targets, such as four-star high school wing Brady Dunlap, Oregon State transfer Glenn Taylor Jr. and Massachusetts transfer R.J. Luis. All three visited in the past week.

St. John’s has added potential starting guards Daniss Jenkins of Iona and Nahiem Alleyne of Connecticut as transfers, but is currently thin up front next to Soriano.