Hoosiers Now

'He's Ready to Play in the Big Ten': Reneau, Banks Impress Thompson Early On

Race Thompson is back for his sixth season at Indiana, and he's already excited about forwards Malik Reneau and Kaleb Banks, two freshmen who make up half of Indiana's top-10 2022 recruiting class.

Jack Ankony

Race Thompson hadn't seen much high school film of Malik Reneau, a five-star power forward that helped Montverde Academy win the GEICO National Championship in 2022. But when the 6-foot-9, 235-pound freshman arrived in Bloomington, he was bigger and stronger than Thompson expected.

"[Reneau] already seems like he's ready to play in the Big Ten," Thompson said.

Reneau, who turned 19 in April, has opened Thompson's eyes already, most recently with a Euro-step through two defenders and a one-footed fadeaway during practice. 

"That was pretty nasty," Thompson said. "That kind of turned my head a little bit ... I've been really impressed with him."

Reneau is the No. 27 player in the class of 2022, according to the SI 99 rankings. He was a late addition to Indiana's top-10 recruiting class after de-committing from Florida when head coach Mike White left for Georgia. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson was eager to add Reneau, who was high school teammates with fellow Indiana five-star recruit Jalen Hood-Schifino at Montverde. Reneau posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in the GEICO National Championship game playing alongside Hood-Schifino.

Thompson described Reneau as a talented big man who can handle the ball, shoot and possesses a wide range of moves in the post. He's strong in the weight room, strong on the court, athletic and skilled, according to Thompson. 

"[Reneau] is definitely going to be an exciting piece for us," Thompson said. "I think he can help us out a lot."

Indiana welcomes another forward in its 2022 freshman class in Kaleb Banks, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound native of Hampton, Ga. Banks was the Georgia Class 4A Player of the Year, averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game during his senior season.

Out of Fayette County High School, the versatile Banks was the No. 83 player in the class of 2022, according to the SI 99 rankings, and a four-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports. Thompson said he didn't know what to expect when Banks arrived in Bloomington, but so far he's proven to be a talented, big wing that can defend, shoot and score at all three levels. 

Thompson has been especially impressed with how comfortable Banks has been, as well as the confidence he has in himself to make plays. 

"I think [Banks] will be a really fun player to watch," Thompson said. "He's gonna be really fun to play with because he can make shots and he can make plays for his teammates."

As Thompson enters his sixth season as a Hoosier, he's also trying to be a mentor for the pair of freshman forwards. Prior to anything on the court, Thompson has tried to build a relationship with Reneau and Banks, making them feel comfortable around the team. 

"If you don't have a relationship with your teammates, you don't really have anything," Thompson said. "If you have a team that really feels like a family. That's a recipe for success."

On the court, Thompson has already seen the impact of Reneau and Banks, as well as Hood-Schifino and Lawrence North guard C.J. Gunn. Thompson said practices have been more competitive this offseason, and the results are showing. In a warm-up shooting drill, Thompson said Indiana made 25 shots in their first try, compared to 12 makes in the first practice last summer. 

"We're already shooting the ball better than we shot it last year around this time," Thompson said. "We have a lot of talent, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun getting to know these guys and playing together."

Stories related to Indiana basketball:

  • GERONIMO'S POTENTIAL MOVE TO SMALL FORWARD: Jordan Geronimo showed potential as a Big Ten starter last season, but playing behind veteran forwards Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis limited his minutes. Geronimo has proved himself as a strong defender and rebounder, but improved decision making and ball-handling in the offseason could help the 6-foot-6 junior earn minutes at small forward. CLICK HERE
  • RACE THOMPSON'S OFFSEASON DEVELOPMENT: Race Thompson has been a force in the paint at Indiana, but he's aiming to improve his outside shot this offseason ahead of his sixth season as a Hoosier. Thompson talked with the media on Thursday about his offseason goals. CLICK HERE
  • THOMPSON ON HULLS JOINING IU STAFF: Former Indiana point guard Jordan Hulls has returned to Bloomington to become a recruiting coordinator under head coach Mike Woodson. On Thursday, Indiana forward Race Thompson commented on the impact Hulls will have on the program. CLICK HERE
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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.

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