High school basketball recruiting is full steam ahead at the moment.
Most of the top class of 2025 targets are eyeing visits over the next five months in order to reach a college decision before their final high school season and the early signing period.
Two players IU is targeting in the 2025 class spoke this week about where they stand with visits.
Because of the transfer portal, the class of 2026 is still pretty far out on the horizon, but we share two names to know in that rising junior class IU is talking to but hasn’t offered yet — including one with a close family connection to the current team.
MELEEK THOMAS STARTING TO SCHEDULE VISITS
Class of 2025 5-star guard Meleek Thomas has said frequently over the last two months he intends to visit Indiana later this summer or fall.
But right now, UConn and Arkansas have the momentum, as Thomas has scheduled official visits this month to each school, he told multiple outlets.
In a report this week by the national 247Sports site, Thomas said he’s looking to potentially take another visit to IU, and in a national On3 report this week, Thomas didn’t mention the Hoosiers.
Thomas has been to IU twice on unofficial visits. This appears to be a highly competitive situation where if he does in fact make it back to the IU campus, further attention is warranted. Along those lines, Thomas told Rivals’ Rob Cassidy this week that IU is a school “in the mix.” You can watch that full interview here:
KIYAN ANTHONY SAYS HE’S VISITING IU IN SEPTEMBER
It’s been a similar story with 2025 wing Kiyan Anthony when it comes to an IU visit.
He’s been saying he’ll get to Bloomington for nearly a year, and as recently as a couple weeks ago.
But for the first time the son of Carmelo Anthony has at least put a timeframe around the possible Indiana visit. He told Joe Tipton of On3 Bloomington is one of three visits he plans to make in September.
“The 6-foot-5 rising senior out of Long Island Lutheran (NY) tells On3 he is eyeing three official visits for the month of September — Auburn, Ohio State, and Indiana. Anthony does not have exact dates scheduled but he is in the process of getting those set in the near future,” Tipton wrote.
A top-50 6-foot-5 guard, Anthony has previously visited Syracuse, his father’s alma mater, along with Florida State.
MACKENZIE MGBAKO’S YOUNGER BROTHER GETTING ATTENTION
IU sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako has a younger brother in the class of 2026.
Playing for the 2026 New York Renaissance on the Nike EYBL Circuit, 6-foot-6 Ethan Mgbako averaged 18.8 points and 3.9 rebounds this spring while shooting 44.2% from the field overall, and 30.4% from three. Over his last three games he made 10-of-21 from three.
Ethan was asked by Pro Insight what he has learned from talking to his brother.
“(He tells me) How to come back from bad games and be very consistent as he did in college,” Ethan Mgbako said. “The struggles are going to come, but it’s how you bounce back from it and keep on playing.”
Here’s the full Pro Insight interview with Mgbako:
We connected with 2026 wing Ethan Mgbako last weekend at @NikeEYB in KC and talked about what he’s learned from his brother (Indiana forward @MackenzieMgbako), the latest with his recruitment, what type of culture he’s looking for, and more (sound 🔊 on). pic.twitter.com/yXbRHd6A6a
— Pro Insight (@_proinsight) June 2, 2024
Mgbako reports he’s been getting more interest from colleges and was offered by George Washington and Kent State.
CHRONISTER TALKS INDIANA
Arkansas based 6-foot-7 wing Aidan Chronister (pictured above) visited Indiana for Hoosier Hysteria last October, and IU has been in touch since. IU went and watched him during the May live period. The Sunrise Christian H.S. product told On3’s Jamie Shaw he believes an Indiana offer is coming in the near future.
Chronister is a 4-star and the No. 40 ranked player in the 2026 class according to the On3 Industry Average.
“I’ve been talking with them (Indiana) for a while. Coach Mike Woodson is a really good coach, he preaches NBA, so that was cool to learn and talk to him when I went up there,” Chronister told Shaw.
4⭐️ Aidan Chronister had a great weekend at the @PRO16League Wichita LIVE period!
Keep working AC! 📈#FlyWithUs ✈️ pic.twitter.com/43JDWTGjZf— AAO Flight – PRO16 (@FlightAAO) May 22, 2024
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