Huskers have two going to NBA this week

LINCOLN, Neb. — A pair of Huskers will be joining the professional ranks as Rienk Mast and Sam Hoiberg will be joining NBA organizations.

Mast will be with the Indiana Pacers following a decorated Husker career.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 2025-26, as Nebraska won 28 games and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Mast, who was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, reached double figures 24 times as a senior, including five 20-point games.

He led the Huskers with three double-doubles, including a triple-double against FIU with 18 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.

For his career, he totaled 1,849 points, 1,094 rebounds and 351 assists in his career, which included three seasons at Bradley.

Hoiberg will join the Phoenix Suns following a five-year career which saw the 6-foot guard go from walk-on to one of the best players in the Big Ten.

Hoiberg enjoyed a career year as a senior, averaging 9.3 points per game on 54 percent shooting along with 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game to set career best in all those areas. He set the school record for assist-to-turnover ratio (3.75-to-1) to rank ninth nationally.

Hoiberg finished on NU’s single-season top-10 list in both steals (70, sixth) and assists (157, seventh), as his 70 steals was the most by a Husker since 2000-01. In addition to earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors, Hoiberg was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

For his career, Hoiberg finished on NU’s career top-10 list in games played (125, 10th) and steals (162, seventh) while helping Nebraska to three straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history.

Huskers

finish high

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department continued its climb, earning a 17th place finish in the 2025-26 Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup standings released Thursday morning. Nebraska finished the year with 929.00 total points, the most points Nebraska has scored in the Big Ten era dating back to 2011-12. The Huskers’ 17th place finish matches the program’s best showing since a 13th place in 2000-01.