Signing Day Capsule: Top-25 prospect Malik Reneau makes it official with UF

Name: Malik Reneau

Class: 2022

Position: Power Forward

Height/Weight: 6-foot-9, 225 pounds

Location/School: Miami Montverde Academy

Signed to: Florida Gators

Rivals Ranking: 24th-ranked senior | Third-ranked power forward

“It’s easy to talk to coach [Pastrana]. He talks to me every other day, really trying to build a relationship with me and it’s just been like that for the past year or so. He likes that I’m a versatile type of player, that I can play inside, outside, handling the ball and being able to do a little bit of everything on the court.

"Coach Mike White, he’s always contacting me every other day as well, and coach Erik [Pastrana] is the same essentially, always trying to see how I’m doing and stuff like that."

“Really, right now it’s the coaches (that I like about UF). They’ve been talking to me, telling me how I’ll fit into their program. You know the history’s big. They had Udonis Haslem who’s down with the Miami Heat."

Reneau has long been a high-IQ prospect with incredible physical tools and a knack for passing out of the post. His rise in the rankings this summer was based on his development from a skill perspective, particularly on the offensive end. The four-star forward jumped from No. 52 to No. 24 in the last refresh based on a run that saw him show an increased ability to create his own shot and display more physicality against elite level competition on both the EYBL circuit and at the NBAPA Top-100 Camp.

Reneau impacts games on the glass even when his shot isn’t going. At his best, he’s a well-rounded box score stuffer that is a threat to post a double-double, At his worst, he’s a steadying presence that will help his team win on the glass and by always making the right choices with the ball in his hands. He has the size and the skill set to play majo minutes for the Gators next season. -- Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy