Meet Trey Kaufman-Renn, the Purdue big man who brings nostalgia to 1990s basketball with his game.
The men’s college basketball season is ramping up with high-stakes games every night and the NCAA Tournament just around the corner. In those key regular-season games, March Madness stars introduce themselves to the nation with magical moments and Cinderella runs. We’re teaching you about them before they become national heroes.
Ahead of No. 7 Purdue hosting Indiana on Friday night (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), let us help you get to know Kaufman-Renn.
1. Player Build
Kaufman-Renn, 6-foot-9, is an old-school back-to-the-basket big man. His post game is elite, his footwork impeccable. When defenders let him get to his left-shoulder, right-hand hook, he’s nearly unstoppable.
Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn sinks floater to score his 1,000th career point
2. Loyal Soldier
Kaufman-Renn is a rare four-year player, spending all of his collegiate seasons at Purdue. He was part of the Boilermakers’ run to the national championship in 2024, when they lost to UConn. He came off the bench as a freshman but has been a starter for the past three seasons.
3. Scoring Regression
After peaking at 20.1 points per game, Kaufman-Renn is down to 13.0 this season. His shot attempts are also down from 13.6 per game to 10.1. He’s also playing 27.9 minutes per game, in comparison to 30.8. The Boilermakers added frontcourt depth this season with transfer Oscar Cluff, who has taken some pressure off Kaufman-Renn. Kaufman-Renn’s scoring shouldn’t be questioned, though, as 1,443 points throughout his time at Purdue.
4. Rebounding Savant
While Kaufman-Renn’s scoring numbers are down, he’s third in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 9.1 per game.
Trey Kaufman-Renn leads Purdue with 9.1 rebounds per game. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
5. A Love of Philosophy
Off the court, Kaufman-Renn is into philosophy. He spent the offseason in his professor Jan Cover’s office studying 17th and 18th century European philosophy. The two also talked about meta-physics.
“I’m a values and ethics guy,” Trey shared this time last year. “I have a little brother, Jaylen, and I don’t want him idolizing certain things. I want him idolizing other things. Like the people he talks about and wants to be like.”
