Hurricanes star Malik Reneau returning to UM after court grants eligibility

The Miami Hurricanes' basketball team got a huge boost on Thursday.

Malik Reneau, UM's All-ACC forward who helped lead them back to the NCAA Tournament last season, received another year of eligibility after an Indiana judge granted an injunction against the NCAA, allowing Reneau and other college players to return to their teams.

The NCAA is expected to appeal the court decision, according to ESPN. The Hurricanes announced Reneau's return on social media.

Reneau has been practicing with the Hurricanes while his status was in limbo.

"It's just day by day. Malik is going day by day, and we're just trying to figure out what's next and if he will be able to play or if (he) will be in shape to go somewhere else and continue his professional career," Miami coach Jai Lucas said Monday. "… We really don't have any answers. I don't have any answers. I don't think anybody does. But he's here and he's been practicing and participating. He's in school. And so we're just working towards that … We're operating as if he would be a part of the team."

Reneau's return gives the retooled Hurricanes another key player for Lucas' second year at the helm in Coral Gables.

Reneau, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward and Miami native, transferred from Indiana to UM before the 2025-26 season. He excelled with the Hurricanes, averaging 18.9 points and 6.5 rebounds.

Reneau went undrafted in this year's NBA draft, and he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Orlando Magic.

Miami returns three other players from last year's tournament team: Marcus Allen, Dante Allen and Shelton Henderson. Marcus Allen is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL .

Reneau joins a team that added multiple key transfers, including Villanova guard Acaden Lewis and Georgia center Somto Cyril. UM also signed five-star Miami Columbus forward Caleb Gaskins.

Dozens of athletes have sued the NCAA for eligibility after the organization implemented a "Five-for-Five" age-based eligibility model, which gives student-athletes five years to play in up to five seasons in college.

"t's weird. Completely weird. It's like Twilight Zone, you know what I mean?" Lucas said. "We just don't know anything. You don't know NIL. You don't know what next year looks like. You don't know if fifth-years are going to play. You don't know about internationals. It's just a bunch of questions and a bunch of unknowns that you're just trying to adapt to, and you're just trying to wait till you get some type of direction of where things are going. And until then, we're kind of just figuring out what's next."