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Purdue Preseason Primer: Senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn

On3 imageby: Brian Neubert09/11/25brianneubert
Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn
Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn (Chad Krockover(

As the Sept. 23 beginning of preseason practice nears, GoldandBlack.com takes an in-depth look at each of the Boilermakers’ scholarship players and what may lie ahead.

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OVERVIEW: PURDUE’S TREY KAUFMAN-RENN

As a junior, Kaufman-Renn slid into the cushy job that is the go-to post scorer at Purdue and delivered big-time, posting an All-America-level season. He’d probably have been Big Ten Player-of-the-Year if not for teammate Braden Smith running away with the award.

Kaufman-Renn, despite essentially playing out of position at center most of the season, averaged 20.1 points per game on 60-percent shooting, failing to crack double-digits in scoring only once. His breakout game was the 26-point outing he hit Alabama with during Purdue’s early signature win in Mackey Arena. Months later, he scored 30 vs. USC after two 29-point game shortly beforehand.

Purdue was held back all season by a lack of traditional size, thus forcing Kaufman-Renn to center for offensive reasons, which obviously paid dividends. But it also put him at a disadvantage when guarding real centers, stacked the deck against him on the glass and exposed him to foul trouble, which was proven repeatedly to be something Purdue just couldn’t afford.

Now with true centers Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen around, Kaufman-Renn moves to power forward, maybe exclusively. His role offensively won’t change, but the burdens on him will largely be lifted, which should make him a better scorer, a better rebounder, a better defender and set him up his assist numbers to spike.

KAUFMAN-RENN’S POTENTIAL VALUE

There may be some matters to iron out offensively with Kaufman-Renn playing next to true post players, but that was Purdue’s plan heading into last season. And it’s not like Kaufman-Renn didn’t play major minutes next to Zach Edey two seasons ago.

The likelier scenario than this being a concern is that it becomes a strength. Kaufman-Renn’s passing now gets weaponized, he’ll benefit on the glass from Cluff’s blast radius and Jacobsen’s reach. Remember how many offensive rebounding windows Edey created for Mason Gillis? Yeah, that.

Further, Kaufman-Renn will shoot some threes this season. It may not always be the highest-percentage shot Purdue can get, but if it has to be respected, the percentages on everyone else’s shots go up.

But whether he’s posting or driving or rolling, Kaufman-Renn is again going to be Purdue’s most-fouled player, which takes a toll on the opposition. If he can get his 65-percent shooting up in that regard, look out.

ASSESSING NEED

Kaufman-Renn is probably college basketball’s pre-eminent frontcourt scorer and the provider of Purdue’s deadly offensive balance.

That said, last year Purdue needed everything from him. That may not be as acute a need this year.

Purdue has size now and other viable offensive options for when Kaufman-Renn comes out. That was a slippery slope for the Boilermakers last season.

Kaufman-Renn now is fighting people his own size and has the luxury to come out of the game more and actual leeway to foul, which might give him license to be more aggressive this season.

OVERALL OUTLOOK

Kaufman-Renn is a great player who is set up well to have an even better year than last year. His passing and foul-shooting really come to the forefront now, but it’s all lining up for him to be one of the truly elite players in college basketball.

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