Indiana basketball forward Malik Reneau announces he is returning for junior season

Indiana basketball received the best news of the offseason thus far with the announcement of Malik Reneau returning to Bloomington for his junior season. Peegs.com and Hoosiers Hysterics Podcast were the first to report the news.

He joins Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal as the confirmed players to be returning to Indiana basketball next season. Reneau was named a All-Big Ten honorable mention selection as a sophomore.

After the loss to Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament last week, there was talk that Reneau would potentially test the waters of the transfer portal. He emotionally stated that he needed to speak with his family and decide what his future would be.

“There’s a lot of stuff I have to think about,” Reneau said after the Nebraska loss. “I just need time to think and reevaluate the season. I have to talk to the people in my circle and my family and go from there.”

The good news for Indiana basketball fans is that Indiana return arguably it’s best player from this season next year. Reneau was the second leading scorer behind fellow sophomore frontcourt teammate Kel’el Ware. Reneau averaged 15.4 in 33 (all starts) appearances shooting 55.8% from the field. He also added 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the 2023-24 season as well.

Reneau was easily Indiana basketball’s most improved player this season. After spending his freshman season playing behind Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thomposn, Reneau stepped up and become a key piece for Mike Woodson’s team this season.

“This summer, you know, he put a lot of work in. Never really left campus. Got his weight down. The baby fat that he had last year has trimmed down,” Woodson said this season. “So you just got to tip your hat to him. He put the work in this summer and it’s paying off.”

The current expectation is that Kel’el Ware will be leaving Indiana basketball for the NBA while Mackenzie Mgbako’s decision is still up in the air at this point.

The return of Reneau gives Indiana basketball six open scholarships for next season after the graduations of Xavier Johnson and Anthony Walker plus Kaleb Banks, Payton Sparks, and CJ Gunn opting to enter the transfer portal.

SEE ALSO: ‘The bottom line is we’ve got to get better’: Mike Woodson enters offseason knowing what’s at stake for Indiana basketball with critical few months upcoming

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