We’re going team-by-team across Big Ten men’s basketball to assess where everyone stands and how things could shake out in 2026-27.
Wisconsin had an up-and-down 2025-26 season. The Badgers handed eventual national champions Michigan its only home loss of the season — they’re one of just three teams who beat UM, at all. UW looked to be peaking at the right time going into March, but suffered another NCAA Tournament upset defeat, this time against High Point. Greg Gard continues to search for that next step for his program — he’s led Wisconsin to seven of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments, but with only five wins, and just one in the last four years. He’ll hope this year’s team can deliver.
WHO’S GONE:
- Nick Boyd (20.7 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- John Blackwell (19.1 PPG) (transfer — Duke)
- Braeden Carrington (8.3 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Andrew Rohde (5.7 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Aleksas Bieliauskas (4.9 PPG)
- Jack Robison (1 PPG)
- Riccardo Greppi
WHO’S BACK:
- Nolan Winter, F, Sr. (13.1 PPG)
- Austin Rapp, F, Jr. (9.7 PPG)
- Jack Janicki, G, R-Jr. (2.2 PPG)
- Hayden Jones, G, So. (1.7 PPG)
- Zach Kinziger, G, So. (1.3 PPG)
- Will Garlock, F, So. (1.1 PPG)
WHO’S NEW:
Transfer portal
- Eian Elmer, F, Sr. (12.7 PPG at Miami (OH))
- Trey Autry, G, Sr. (11 PPG at George Washington)
- Victory Onuetu, F, Sr. (4.7 PPG at Hofstra)
Freshmen (Rankings from 247Sports)
- Owen Foxwell, G (international, unranked)
- Isaac Riddle, F (international, unranked)
- Jackson Ball, G (international, unranked)
- LaTrevion Fenderson, G (three-star, No. 182)
- Josh Manchester, G (unranked)
RETURNING MINUTES: 39.3 percent (per barttorvik.com) (ninth in the Big Ten)
Why it will work
Wisconsin has done well over the last decade-plus with their “next men up” stepping into bigger roles after stars graduate or transfer. It’s continuing this year with Winter and Rapp, both good enough players to keep the Badgers rolling. Winter, in particular, could be an All-Big Ten type of player this season, after averaging 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game as a junior. Rapp shot 36 percent from 3-point range last season on high volume. Gard will need that pair to take over primary roles, and some of the tertiary players to become secondary options. He’s succeeded in that sort of player development during his tenure in Madison.
The Badgers reinforced their outside shooting in the transfer portal with Elmer (43 percent from 3-point range at Miami (OH)) and Autry (39 percent at George Washington) — both with good shooting volume as well.
Why it won’t
UW lost two All-Big Ten players in Blackwell and Boyd, and that much production is hard to replace. Boyd finished last season third in the conference in scoring, and Blackwell was eighth. Winter and Rapp could take nice steps forward and still not replicate what the Badgers got out of their backcourt duo last year. And their defense has not been good enough to withstand a drop-off from their offense.
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