Let’s be clear — mock drafts a year out aren’t worth much.
But Indiana does have some high end talent on its 2023-24 roster, and at least one prominent NBA mock draft sees a repeat for IU with two players being selected next June.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo published their 2024 mock NBA draft on Saturday, and they believe Indiana will have a lottery pick for the first time since 2019, and another player right on the fringe of the first round.
The pair slotted 7-foot sophomore center Kel’el Ware in the No. 11 spot to Portland, and they’ve got freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako going No. 31 to Detroit.
If IU has two players chosen in 2024, it will be the first time they’ve had multiple players drafted in consecutive years since 1987-88.
A former 5-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, Ware played in 35-of-36 games for Oregon as a freshman last season. He made four starts and averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. Ware shot 45.7% (85-of-186) from the floor, 27.3% (15-of-55) from the 3-point line, and 71.2% (47-of-66) from the free throw line.
Ware did not turn 19 until April.
The 6-foot-8 Mgbako was a 2023 McDonald’s All-American and a consensus 5-star recruit. He ranked No. 8 on Rivals, No. 9 on ESPN, and No. 10 on 247Sports. The New Jersey product averaged 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds for head coach Dave Boff at Roselle Catholic as a senior.
Mgbako turns 19 in November.
The Hoosiers have had a Big Ten-best 79 players (Michigan ranks second with 78) selected in the NBA Draft since the inception of the event in 1947. Of the 79 players selected, 27 have heard their name called during the first round.
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