What’s left for the Badgers to answer ahead of next season?
I loved this quote from Wisconsin Badgers star John Blackwell last week when 247Sports’ Evan Flood asked him about this offseason’s transfer portal additions.
Had a great talk with John Blackwell about his future.
When asked about the recent additions via the portal, Blackwell smirked:
“They’re gonna go get some more too…Coach Gard is not done.”#Badgers pic.twitter.com/N2uAMGdrhi
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) April 14, 2025
Indeed, there is optimism for next year’s Badgers men’s basketball season. Greg Gard and his staff successfully recruited three quality transfers: Andrew Rohde (Virginia), Austin Rapp (Portland), and Nick Boyd (San Diego State). ESPN’s Jeff Borzello released his newest version of his Way-Too-Early Top 25. The Badgers remained in the top 15, coming in at No. 14.
However, the roster is nowhere near set in stone, as the Badgers still have to add spots for next season. Here are three key questions for the Badgers basketball team for 2025-26.
How do you replace John Tonje’s production?
The obvious first question is who will step up next season now that Tonje, a second-team All-American, finished his lone season in Madison.
John Blackwell is the prime candidate, coming off an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten season at 15.8 points per game. The Badgers cannot rely solely on him to carry the team, but having Boyd run the point should bring out Blackwell’s best at the two-spot.
Rohde is an intriguing candidate, given his improvement last season at Virginia shooting from behind the three-point line, and Gard’s ability to develop recent wing players.
One name to keep an eye on is Tarleton State’s Bubu Benjamin. At 6’7, with a 38 percent three-point field goal percentage, he could be a unique option for the Badgers.
Who will start at the five position?
Steven Crowl departs Wisconsin after five seasons donning a Badger basketball uniform. Right now, the Badgers have Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp as the frontcourt starters. While they both have size, both players are best suited for stretch-four positions.
Winter showed improvement in his sophomore season, as he led the Badgers with 216 total rebounds. He is my favorite to start at the five position, but he should add 15-20 pounds to his body this offseason, working with athletic trainer Brent Neuharth and strength & conditioning coach Jim Snider. The same can be said for Rapp as well.
It’s possible the Badgers add another center in the transfer portal. Riley Allenspach from Samford University was linked to Wisconsin, but nothing has happened.
Who will be the backup point guard?
Kamari McGee exhausted his eligibility, while Camren Hunter and Daniel Freitag entered the transfer portal, with the latter headed to Buffalo for the next season. With all three players gone, the Badgers do not have a backup point guard behind Nick Boyd.
One candidate for that role is ESPN 100 recruit and DePere High School graduate Zach Kinziger. Kinziger won the Wisconsin Sports Network’s top point guard award this season.
However, questions remain whether Kinziger will be ready to play Big Ten basketball as a true freshman next season. Therefore, it is imperative that the Badgers look to the transfer portal to find a backup guard capable of playing the point for 15-20 minutes per game.