The Badgers have a steady presence at point guard thanks to the senior.
The Wisconsin Badgers have started the season 2-0, scoring over 75 points in consecutive games as they look to build chemistry with their new-look team.
Ahead of the season, Wisconsin had two open starting spots, as they navigated through a number of lineups to see what their best five would be, ultimately settling on John Blackwell, Max Klesmit, John Tonje, Nolan Winter, and Steven Crowl as the starting five.
The unit involved a pair of combo guards in Blackwell and Klesmit, a three-level scoring wing in Tonje, and two seven-foot forwards in Winter and Crowl. But, the one position that Wisconsin doesn’t have in that group is a true point guard.
Heading into the year, the Badgers had an open point guard battle, as they had three intriguing options with returnee Kamari McGee, transfer Camren Hunter, and freshman Daniel Freitag.
Much of the buzz was surrounding the newcomers, as Hunter came in expecting to compete for the starting job, while Freitag was the highest-rated recruit that the Badgers landed in the recruiting ratings era.
But, as training camp came along, it was clear that McGee was the most steady player in the role, with head coach Greg Gard openly acknowledging the fact multiple times during media availability.
So, it’s no surprise that to start the year, McGee has been the team’s sixth man, coming in as the first player off the bench in both games. Thus far, the point guard has averaged 9 points and 3.5 assists per game, while turning the ball over just once in 27.5 minutes of action per night.
While he hasn’t been in the starting lineup, McGee has been third on the team in minutes behind only Max Klesmit and John Blackwell, and he’s been extremely effective in his role.
Wisconsin has started slow in both games, needing the bench to come in and provide a spark, which the senior guard has done effectively. There’s a difference on the court when McGee is in the game when it comes to directing the offense, as the point guard has done well in navigating the court to create quality shots without turning the ball over.
But, perhaps the biggest growth has been with McGee’s aggressiveness, as he’s found his shots in both games thus far.
In the opener, McGee had seven points, shooting 2/6 from the field and 1/4 from three, while being a +35 in his 28 minutes. Then, on Thursday, the point guard went 5/7 from the field, scoring 11 points while hitting his lone three-point attempt. If he can provide even something as a scorer, it makes his game that much more well-rounded, only positively impacting the Badgers.
What has head coach Greg Gard seen from McGee thus far?
“Just the poise and the maturity. I think he’s operating at a very functional speed right now,” Gard said of McGee. “Two years ago, I think he tried to play everything at 1,000 miles an hour. Now he understands the importance of pace and patience, when to pick your spots, when to step on the gas, when not to.”
“So I just think you’re seeing the evolution and the maturity of a player that’s really done a really good job for us. I mean, he’s been a steadying influence. He changes the game with his defense, he changes his game with the pace he comes with the ball. But, I just think the decisions and the conscious effort to read and feel the flow of the game when you can go fast, when you can’t. He didn’t understand that two years ago, and it’s taken time for him to. To learn that and get a good feel, and he’s obviously figured out a lot of good things.”
McGee as a sparkplug off the bench gives Wisconsin something different this year, as they have a number of reliable scorers, as well as winning players that are learning to complement each other.
As the Badgers continue to sort things out, it makes sense that Gard will continue relying upon his senior point guard to lead the way, both with his play and his words.