Indiana University Athletics
Next Level – Freshman Malik Reneau Brings Winning Mentality, and More
7/18/2022 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Malik Reneau knew it was coming; wanted it, in fact.
Battling Indiana veterans Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson was among the lures that helped make this heralded 6-9 freshman from Miami -- a national top-25 recruit -- a Hoosier.
And the Cream 'n Crimson possibilities?
Let's just say they are intriguing.
"I'd say having a winning mentality, competing on the court," Reneau says via recent Zoom interview. "Doing whatever it takes to help my team win, not only trying to score, but help on the defensive end, set good screens and try to do all the little stuff.
"That's what's going to help my game expand and build my confidence."
Confidence is high given Reneau helped Florida's Montverde Academy to a pair of GEICO High School national titles, including last spring, when he averaged 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the postseason tournament, highlighted by his 14 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game. He was rated as high as No. 22 nationally by recruiting services.
What could that mean for his IU debut season?
"My role is to be a spark player for my teammates," he says, "whether it's coming off the bench or starting or whatever it is."
Or, as fellow Hoosier freshman and former Montverde Academy teammate Jalen Hood-Schifino puts it, "Malik is a good person and a great player. He works hard. I know his game really well.
"I know Coach (Mike) Woodson is going to get him right. He's going to be locked in and is going to have a big year."
Let's consider Reneau's summer duels with the 6-9 Jackson-Davis, an All-America, and the 6-8 Thompson, a tough-minded All-Big Ten veteran peaking under Woodson.
No one concedes anything, and that includes word as well as deed.
"When it comes to competing with the older guys," Reneau says, "just not falling into all the trash talking and just ultimately playing my game. That helps me compete against the older guys. I think I do a good job of that."
Specifically, Reneau says, "I've been going against Race and Trayce for weeks now. You can tell the physical difference from high school and college. It's hard to bump bodies with them because they are solid. It's not easy to move them.
"I've got to find different moves or get past them with speed and not just overpower them. That's where I found a big difference. It's more a finesse game and not just trying to back down your man."
Benefits are coming.
"It's going to help me a lot," Reneau says. "It's going to help not only me, but everybody takes their game to the next level. That's what we need, to take our game to the next level step-by-step and compete against all these other good schools around the country."
Given their similar size and style, Jackson-Davis is a prime role model.
"We are both lefties, so I keep in mind what he does as a lefty," Reneau says. "He's real dominant down low and understands how he can control his man in the post. He finds a way to get easy baskets down low.
"I look at that and I see how I can have a resemblance to Trayce being tough and being dominant down low."
Reneau has the versatility to play center and power forward, crucial in Woodson's NBA-style system.
"I've been playing the four and the five," he says, "but I've been playing the four most of the time. I'm going against Race a lot."
The goal, he adds, is to "Improve my shooting, improve my three-point shot, and just being confident with my jump shot. I'm working on attacking close-outs, and staying comfortable at in the post, too. I'm trying to touch on everything, but mostly my jump shot."
Renau figures to get plenty of perimeter opportunities.
In fact, he already has.
"I've been playing outside. The way Coach Woodson's plan is, the four is outside on the perimeter a lot of times. I've been working on my perimeter game trying to guard the one through the five, and just being able to switch on defense and then expand my game on the offensive end and to be able to knock down threes."
Development includes plenty of work with strength coach Clif Marshall. The plan for Reneau is different than for, say, freshman guard CJ Gunn, who needs to gain weight as well as strength. At 235 pounds, adding weight isn't a priority.
"When I sat down with Coach Clif, it was really maintaining my weight and building muscle and trying to stay at a good weight, not trying to gain weight or lose weight, because I came in already built and had that weight on me. So, I'm maintaining my weight, getting stronger."
Reneau was the final addition to this freshman class, instantly boosting it to top-5 national status. He was set to be a Florida Gator late into the spring. Then coach Mike White left Florida to take over the Georgia program, and Reneau reopened his recruiting, ultimately deciding to join Hood-Schifino as a Hoosier.
"I was with him when he decommitted," Hood-Schifino says. "As soon as that happened, I texted my coaches. I was like, we have to get Malik. As soon as I said that, the coaches got on him and they did a great job of recruiting him."
Playing with Hood-Schifino, who could share playing time with veteran point guard Xavier Johnson, offers plenty of advantages.
"Jalen is a very unselfish player," Reneau says. "Finds his teammates. Knows how to get his shots -- get open shots for himself.
"He's an all-around player on the defensive end. He picks up the ball 94 feet. He's going to defend their best players and he's going to be a spark plug regardless if he's starting or he's coming off the bench. He's just a great guy to be around."
As for fellow freshmen Gunn and Kaleb Banks, Reneau says, "We all play with a little toughness and chip on our shoulder, which is great, especially when you're competing again the older guys.
"We do a great job of really competing. That's the biggest goal, we need to compete.
"When it comes to their skills and abilities, they can pass, shoot and dribble. They do what's necessary to win. That's what I love about playing with my guys."
Reneau's development was aided by his parents, Patrick and Melanie Reneau. Melanie played in high school and college. Patrick, who is from Belize, also played, but not in college.
"Growing up, they took me to the outside courts all the time," Reneau says. "I played against them."
Parental love disappeared once they hit the court.
"They always beat me in one-on-ones," Reneau says.
There weren't any hard feelings then … or now.
"It was fun growing up. They taught me the game early, and trained me early, so I didn't have to pay for a trainer or anything to help me out."
Lessons include perspective about himself and his national recruiting acclaim.
"Staying focused on myself and not worrying about other people on social media. That was the biggest thing -- not worrying about what other kids were doing and not what I was focused on. Just worrying about myself and staying in the gym and locked in."
Reneau adds that without his parents, he wouldn't be a basketball player.
"Looking at my mom, she was a good player. Looking at them play, I wanted to be a basketball player, too."
And so he is, with the kind of perspective crucial for instant impact on a team primed for a championship run.
"It's been a big expectation for the freshmen to sponge in everything," he says. "Coach Woodson and the older guys are trying to teach us how to compete at a high level all the time, and ultimately try to win the Big Ten title."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Malik Reneau knew it was coming; wanted it, in fact.
Battling Indiana veterans Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson was among the lures that helped make this heralded 6-9 freshman from Miami -- a national top-25 recruit -- a Hoosier.
And the Cream 'n Crimson possibilities?
Let's just say they are intriguing.
"I'd say having a winning mentality, competing on the court," Reneau says via recent Zoom interview. "Doing whatever it takes to help my team win, not only trying to score, but help on the defensive end, set good screens and try to do all the little stuff.
"That's what's going to help my game expand and build my confidence."
Confidence is high given Reneau helped Florida's Montverde Academy to a pair of GEICO High School national titles, including last spring, when he averaged 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the postseason tournament, highlighted by his 14 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game. He was rated as high as No. 22 nationally by recruiting services.
What could that mean for his IU debut season?
"My role is to be a spark player for my teammates," he says, "whether it's coming off the bench or starting or whatever it is."
Or, as fellow Hoosier freshman and former Montverde Academy teammate Jalen Hood-Schifino puts it, "Malik is a good person and a great player. He works hard. I know his game really well.
"I know Coach (Mike) Woodson is going to get him right. He's going to be locked in and is going to have a big year."
Let's consider Reneau's summer duels with the 6-9 Jackson-Davis, an All-America, and the 6-8 Thompson, a tough-minded All-Big Ten veteran peaking under Woodson.
No one concedes anything, and that includes word as well as deed.
"When it comes to competing with the older guys," Reneau says, "just not falling into all the trash talking and just ultimately playing my game. That helps me compete against the older guys. I think I do a good job of that."
Specifically, Reneau says, "I've been going against Race and Trayce for weeks now. You can tell the physical difference from high school and college. It's hard to bump bodies with them because they are solid. It's not easy to move them.
"I've got to find different moves or get past them with speed and not just overpower them. That's where I found a big difference. It's more a finesse game and not just trying to back down your man."
Benefits are coming.
"It's going to help me a lot," Reneau says. "It's going to help not only me, but everybody takes their game to the next level. That's what we need, to take our game to the next level step-by-step and compete against all these other good schools around the country."
Given their similar size and style, Jackson-Davis is a prime role model.
"We are both lefties, so I keep in mind what he does as a lefty," Reneau says. "He's real dominant down low and understands how he can control his man in the post. He finds a way to get easy baskets down low.
"I look at that and I see how I can have a resemblance to Trayce being tough and being dominant down low."
Reneau has the versatility to play center and power forward, crucial in Woodson's NBA-style system.
"I've been playing the four and the five," he says, "but I've been playing the four most of the time. I'm going against Race a lot."
The goal, he adds, is to "Improve my shooting, improve my three-point shot, and just being confident with my jump shot. I'm working on attacking close-outs, and staying comfortable at in the post, too. I'm trying to touch on everything, but mostly my jump shot."
Renau figures to get plenty of perimeter opportunities.
In fact, he already has.
"I've been playing outside. The way Coach Woodson's plan is, the four is outside on the perimeter a lot of times. I've been working on my perimeter game trying to guard the one through the five, and just being able to switch on defense and then expand my game on the offensive end and to be able to knock down threes."
Development includes plenty of work with strength coach Clif Marshall. The plan for Reneau is different than for, say, freshman guard CJ Gunn, who needs to gain weight as well as strength. At 235 pounds, adding weight isn't a priority.
"When I sat down with Coach Clif, it was really maintaining my weight and building muscle and trying to stay at a good weight, not trying to gain weight or lose weight, because I came in already built and had that weight on me. So, I'm maintaining my weight, getting stronger."
Reneau was the final addition to this freshman class, instantly boosting it to top-5 national status. He was set to be a Florida Gator late into the spring. Then coach Mike White left Florida to take over the Georgia program, and Reneau reopened his recruiting, ultimately deciding to join Hood-Schifino as a Hoosier.
"I was with him when he decommitted," Hood-Schifino says. "As soon as that happened, I texted my coaches. I was like, we have to get Malik. As soon as I said that, the coaches got on him and they did a great job of recruiting him."
Playing with Hood-Schifino, who could share playing time with veteran point guard Xavier Johnson, offers plenty of advantages.
"Jalen is a very unselfish player," Reneau says. "Finds his teammates. Knows how to get his shots -- get open shots for himself.
"He's an all-around player on the defensive end. He picks up the ball 94 feet. He's going to defend their best players and he's going to be a spark plug regardless if he's starting or he's coming off the bench. He's just a great guy to be around."
As for fellow freshmen Gunn and Kaleb Banks, Reneau says, "We all play with a little toughness and chip on our shoulder, which is great, especially when you're competing again the older guys.
"We do a great job of really competing. That's the biggest goal, we need to compete.
"When it comes to their skills and abilities, they can pass, shoot and dribble. They do what's necessary to win. That's what I love about playing with my guys."
Reneau's development was aided by his parents, Patrick and Melanie Reneau. Melanie played in high school and college. Patrick, who is from Belize, also played, but not in college.
"Growing up, they took me to the outside courts all the time," Reneau says. "I played against them."
Parental love disappeared once they hit the court.
"They always beat me in one-on-ones," Reneau says.
There weren't any hard feelings then … or now.
"It was fun growing up. They taught me the game early, and trained me early, so I didn't have to pay for a trainer or anything to help me out."
Lessons include perspective about himself and his national recruiting acclaim.
"Staying focused on myself and not worrying about other people on social media. That was the biggest thing -- not worrying about what other kids were doing and not what I was focused on. Just worrying about myself and staying in the gym and locked in."
Reneau adds that without his parents, he wouldn't be a basketball player.
"Looking at my mom, she was a good player. Looking at them play, I wanted to be a basketball player, too."
And so he is, with the kind of perspective crucial for instant impact on a team primed for a championship run.
"It's been a big expectation for the freshmen to sponge in everything," he says. "Coach Woodson and the older guys are trying to teach us how to compete at a high level all the time, and ultimately try to win the Big Ten title."
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