A quick glance up and down the Indiana University men's basketball roster should yield high hopes in the hearts of the Hoosier faithful (and nightmares in the minds of the opposition). Woody and his staff have worked wonders in putting together a team filled with genuine firepower as they look to ascend back to the level of legitimate college basketball teams.
While the team collectively works together to make it's way back up the ladder, each respective player will simultaneously be looking to establish themselves as legitimate NBA prospects. Mackenzie Mgbako and Kanaan Carlyle are currently the only members of the squad whose names have been listed in early 2025 NBA draft projections, but that does not mean that there is not a place at the professional ranks for the other 11 members of this team.
In fact, canvassing the population of players actively competing in the NBA manufactures a list of 13 players who play the game of basketball in an eerily similar manner to each individual member of the cream and crimson.
Without further ado, here is 1 active NBA player comparison for each player on the 2024-2025 Indiana University men's basketball team.
Mackenzie Mgbako = Harrison Barnes, San Antonio Spurs
Barnes and Mgbako each took some time to get acclimated at their respective active levels, but once they both got comfortable there was a lot to like about their respective games. The swingmen each do a bulk of their damage via the perimeter, but both have the size to slide up a position and manage certain power forward matchups as well. Their ability to hit outside shots and positional versatility make them among the most coveted player prototypes in modern basketball.
Malik Reneau = Marvin Bagley III, Washington Wizards
With an obvious void in the playmaking department last season, Indiana needed every bit of improvement which Malik Reneau showcased in setting the table for his teammates. In spite of his growth in this area, do not lose sight of the fact that Reneau is a low post scorer first and foremost.
Bagley III may not have cemented himself as a model of consistency through his first 6 NBA seasons, but he has certainly exhibited a lot of the same attributes as his younger apprentice. Still only 25 years old, the former Duke Blue Devil gets busy on the low block and is a beast on the boards.