Nebraska Basketball: Projected starters and depth chart for 2023-24 season

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Rienk Mast – Starter

The Bradley transfer makes his way to Lincoln, after a great season for the Missouri Valley champs. Mast is a true stretch 5 and brings the same things to coach Hoiberg that Derrick Walker did except that he can shoot threes. Anyone who has watched Nebraska’s offense understands the role that the big man plays in the offense. Hoiberg needs an agile athletic big who can pass, rebound, and get the easy baskets around the rim.

Mast checks all those boxes, and you can be comfortable with the Dutch big man handling the ball outside of the paint. He will take and make threes to pull the defense out as well. Beware of the back cuts by the guards when playing Nebraska because they have a big man who can pass again.

Blaise Keita – Backup

I would be surprised to see Keita suit up for Nebraska this year. He has not practiced, and the last update provided mentioned a setback in his recovery from ankle surgery in the offseason. If Keita does play, we all know what he is going to provide. He is a great rebounder and last year developed into an elite post defender. He was able to shut down the post, block shots and rebound the misses. The big man will not likely provide much on the offensive end unless it is a wide open dunk. Keita is still a work in progress, and he is likely going to take a redshirt year due to an injury.

Nebraska has a team with a ton of positional flexibility and many of the starters at a position are going to be playing at other positions during games and throughout the year. Coach Hoiberg preaches position less basketball and it wasn’t working until it all started to come together over the last two years. If Nebraska stays healthy, they may be looking at the best team they have had under coach Hoiberg. Can they make a postseason tournament?  That is going to be the question all year.