Ranking the best Big Ten basketball players at midway point
4. Trey Kaufman-Renn, F, Purdue
Kaufman-Renn is one of multiple Big Ten players recently named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watchlist and the conference player of the year race could eventually come down to him and teammate Braden Smith. Kaufman-Renn has taken the biggest step forward of arguably any Big Ten player in 2024-25 as the Boilermakers have adjusted to life without Zach Edey. Overall, the 6-foot-9 forward averages 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists, shooting 60.1% from the field. Kaufman-Renn isn鈥檛 a deep shooter and can struggle at the free-throw line, but his physical presence down low has been vital in Purdue鈥檚 first season without a 7-foot-plus center in the starting lineup in a while. Last year鈥檚 national runner-up continues to look strong in Big Ten play and Kaufman-Renn will play a vital role on how far Purdue goes this postseason.
