Rienk Mast knows playing basketball is a gift, a lesson he learned the hard way during his Nebraska basketball career.
Knee surgery sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 season, but he returned last year with a new appreciation for the game and led the Huskers to the Sweet 16.
“There are some terrible drills that you hate doing when you’re healthy, but when you’re injured and you’re sitting on the sidelines, I would give everything to be out there and to just go through this drill right now,” Mast told Hail Varsity. “So being out for a whole year, it gives you a different perspective on how much the game means to you. I definitely took that mindset with me this past season of through the good and the bad, I’m at least happy that I’m able to play.”
That play led Mast to signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Indiana Pacers following the NBA Draft.
“It’s great, I’ve met a lot of really good people,” Mast said of the Pacers organization. “It helps that (Nebraska head coach) Fred (Hoiberg) and multiple people at Nebraska already knew some of the people over here. So it’s been an easy transition getting to know people.”
Through three games in the Las Vegas Summer League, the 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 16.3 points, 10. Rebounds and 2.0 assists while leading the league in offensive rebounding with 5.3 per game. He started the first two games against Cleaveland and Philadelphia then exploded for 23 points and 10 rebounds off the Pacer bench against Toronto on Monday.
Mast said the hardest transition from college to professional basketball has been the pace.
“I’d say we’re a lot faster, just going down from the 30-second shot clock to the 24-second shot clock, especially with the Pacers,” Mast said. “The way we’re playing, it’s a lot of running up and down, so definitely the speed of the game is a lot faster than what it was in college.”
Mast concluded his college career on a high note. The Huskers began their season 20-0 and won their first NCAA Tournament game in program history. Nebraska advanced to the Sweet 16, finishing the season 28-7.
Mast said he’ll remember Husker nation’s support in Oklahoma City from their time in the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re on the 14th floor of the hotel, and you hear the people in the lobby on the ground floor getting ready to send us out into the bus to the arena,” Mast said. “Just starting with that, and then you’re driving to the arena and there’s just red everywhere on the street …
“All of Husker nation being down there, to experience all of that, that made it even more memorable.”
As a senior, Mast averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists. However, the Huskers missed his on-court leadership as much as his production during his year on the sideline. With six years of experience, Mast was one of the Huskers’ vocal leaders in 2025-2026.
“I think as a leader, you have to be a steady rock,” Mast said. “I think if you are very emotionally up and down, then the rest of the team will be emotionally up and down. I think if you can be mature and just be even keeled and steady throughout the whole thing, then your teammates have something to fall back on and to rely on.”
Mast’s steady presence was evident throughout his three years with Nebraska. He joined the Huskers in the 2023-2024 season after spending four years at Bradley University.
In his first season with the Huskers, Mast helped lead Nebraska to a 23-11 record and guided the Huskers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. He averaged 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He led the Huskers in rebounds and assists and was third in scoring. He finished seventh in the Big Ten in rebounds and 15th in assists.
The following year, Mast missed the entire 2024-2025 season after undergoing knee surgery in May of 2024.
“Our athletic trainer Andrew (McCabe) and strength coach Kurt (Joseph), they’re there around the clock,” Mast said. “They’re always ready for us, they’re there to support us, and especially in that year that I was out, I spent a lot of time with them, and they did a lot for me. Just getting my body and my knee back to healthy, and also they helped me through the mental grind. I had an injury that was pretty hard to come back from, and they helped me come back from that.”
Mast said that Hoiberg and his staff also helped him throughout his time with the Huskers.
“They gave me a chance at the Big Ten level, they believed in me that I could play at that level, they gave me a role that fit my play style and the way I like to play,” Mast said. “Throughout this process now with the NBA, they’ve helped me so much in getting me in contact with different teams and giving me opportunities, so they mean a lot to me.”
As for what Mast will remember most from his time at Nebraska, it’s the moments in the gym.
“Our practice facilities, we spend so much time there practicing throughout the summer, throughout the season,” Mast said. “You spend so much time in that practice facility. I’m never going to forget that gym. All the good and all the tough days, a lot of time was spent in there.”
Mast’s time in the scarlet and cream is over, but he accomplished a lot and left a Nebraska team that Husker fans will never forget.
“Coming to Nebraska, the goal was to get that NCAA Tournament win, and the first year we didn’t get it done,” Mast said. “I know some of those guys are still a little hurt from not being able to get it done, but last year we finally got that done. That was the main goal, was to get to that stage for the program. Overall, I’m very happy with my college career and the way we ended that this past season.”
For more on Masts journey check out his exclusive interview with Mike Sautter on You Tube.
