Since Indiana’s 2023-24 season came to an end, all of the focus turned to filling holes on the roster via the transfer portal.
But the Hoosiers have six players returning from last year’s squad, so it’s time to look back at how they performed, and the outlook for 2024-25.
We’ll start the series with 6-foot-9 and 233-pound Malik Reneau, who is returning to IU for his third season with the program.
WHAT WENT WELL
After a freshman season that saw Reneau come off the bench behind Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson, the Miami, Fla. product stepped into a significant role as a sophom*ore.
One of two Hoosiers to start all 33 games, Reneau posted career bests in points (15.4 per game), rebounds (6.0), assists (2.7), blocks (0.6), and minutes played (28.8).
Reneau was second to Kel’el Ware in the two primary metrics used by Bart Torvik to measure a player’s overall contributions to a team — points over replacement player at the same usage, and box score plus minus. He improved significantly in both measures year-over-year, from 1.2 to 3.4, and from 0.0 to 3.8, respectively.
At the rim on the offensive end, Reneau was tough to stop. He made 69 percent of his shots there — 11 percentage better than his freshman rate, and even four percentage points better than consensus first team All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis last year.
Reneau needed to take a step forward as a 3-point shooter as a sophom*ore playing power forward, and he did just that, making 15-of-45 threes (33.3%) after making just 2-of-8 in year one.
From an intangibles standpoint, there is no doubt about Reneau’s passion for the game. He has a high motor and plays the game with intensity. During postgame interviews it was often very clear with Reneau — this is a guy who cares about winning, a lot.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
There were times when Reneau seemed a bit out of place at the power forward position. He had the size to play the four, but the skill set and athleticism that tilted more towards a center. His defensive box score plus minus was just .8, which indicates he wasn’t as impactful on that end of the floor. Reneau was often in matchups on the perimeter that were a challenge for him to defend.
Indiana didn’t have a great arsenal of perimeter shooters, and that made life difficult for Reneau, who faced constant double teams. Facing that scenario regularly for the first time in college, Reneau sometimes didn’t identify the extra defender well, and he often tried to force the issue rather than finding an open teammate.
Reneau’s elite footwork and bruising frame allow him to get to the rim more often than not. 52 percent of his total field goal attempts came from there. But when Reneau shoots from further out, he becomes a much less efficient player. He shot just 44.5 percent on twos away from the rim — and most of those attempts were still from relatively close range.
And because Reneau is so skilled on the block, he gets to the free throw line a lot. He drew 5.0 fouls per game and shot 142 freebies on the season. But he made just 68.3 percent — a drop off from 71.4 percent the year prior.
Speaking of fouls, Reneau continued to struggle with excessive fouling in year two, although his rate of fouling did go down year-over-year on a per-40 minute basis. He fouled out of six of his last 14 games.
Playing in the shadow of Jackson-Davis and then Ware, Reneau hasn’t been a high-level rebounder or shot blocker to this point of his career. That may not change drastically with Oumar Ballo in the mix, but as an upperclassman Reneau does need to become more productive in both areas.
KEY QUESTION FOR 2024-25
The biggest question involving Reneau is how he’ll pair with Arizona transfer center Oumar Ballo. Are they complementary basketball players? While Ware could step out, make threes, and at times serve as the stretch four, that has never been part of Ballo’s game. So when they’re on the floor together, it will be incumbent on Reneau to continue to serve as more of a perimeter threat. Otherwise opponents will be able to pack the paint.
PREDICTIONS
Reneau might do more with less in year three.
Without consistent guard production, Indiana leaned heavily on its frontcourt stars, and Reneau had the highest usage rate on the team. He might not be the focus of the offense as much this season. But now that Indiana has playmaking guards who can get into the paint and play with tempo, Reneau might end up with a lower usage rate but better looks on the offensive end.
He might also play fewer overall minutes, and his time on the court might be staggered at times with Ballo. Moving Reneau to the five at times could give minutes at the four to Mackenzie Mgbako and Luke Goode. And that should significantly improve IU’s offensive spacing and perimeter defense.
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