Expected but confirmed the social media way on Monday, Rienk Mast plans to return for another year with Husker hoops.
(Photo: Shandie Stewart, Stewart Photography)
It was believed Rienk Mast would come back. Because he's actually never left.
And a couple weeks ago Fred Hoiberg spoke about him being on next year's Husker basketball team after sitting out this year while rehabbing.
But for those who like a social media post to put an official stamp on it, the Nebraska men's basketball X account on Monday night posted a picture of Mast with the words "Full Sails Ahead" above the picture.
Let’s work. #GBR pic.twitter.com/et3UF2vYCp
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) March 24, 2025
As the portal opened on Monday, Nebraska might not land a more significant player than the 6-10 Mast, who will return after redshirting this past year while recovering from surgery. He remained supportive as a voice on the bench throughout this recent season.
But Husker fans will be glad to see him back in uniform. He was a third-team all-conference player as voted on by league coaches during the 2023-24 season, helping the program to its first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years. He did that while not playing at 100 percent after a minor procedure in December of that season.
The Huskers were careful with his practice load the rest of that season. Mast's minutes in games stayed high – he averaged 29.8 per game last year – and his leadership on the team was key. After one bad outing, Mast let Hoiberg know he wanted to take on a full workload leading into the next game.
As HOiberg explained, "He said, 'Don't limit me this week, Coach. I want to be out there. I need to be out there.' And he was out there for every rep in practice. It started with him."
Mast averaged 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game last year. He was a very good facilitator as a big man and his threat from the outside drew opposing bigs away from the basket and helped space the floor.
Ideally now Mast can go into the next year with full health after announcing in May he was redshirting the season that just finished.
"As some people know, I played most of last season with a knee that wasn't completely healthy," Mast said then. "Over these past couple weeks, I've spoken with multiple doctors about what we can do to get my knee healthy for the rest of my playing career and hopefully life. These have been some difficult conversations, but the best way forward for me is to undergo surgery."
Hoiberg has explained before the doctor who did surgery on Mast is Brian Cole, team doctor for the Chicago Bulls who the coach knows well from his time there. "He is the leading expert in the world on cartilage regeneration, which is the procedure that Rienk had," NU's coach said last June.
And the good news is the surgery found that Mast's knee was totally intact.
"That should help him in his recovery and get back fully healthy next year, which we're all excited about."
Before that next season arrives, the Huskers could fill at least six spaces from the portal in a market where Hoiberg has said he expects the Huskers to "be as active as anybody."
This article originates on Husker247.