{"id":19076,"date":"2025-07-18T14:03:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T14:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/19076\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T14:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T14:03:10","slug":"what-we-learned-about-wisconsin-mens-basketball-from-greg-gards-summer-media-availability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/19076\/","title":{"rendered":"What we learned about Wisconsin men\u2019s basketball from Greg Gard\u2019s summer media availability"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/a>A Wisconsin Badgers-branded basketball sits on the Kohl Center floor. Mandatory Credit: Badgernotes.com photographer Aaron Frey.<\/p>\n

If you want to know what the Wisconsin men’s basketball<\/a> team looks like ahead of the 2025-26 season, you don\u2019t start with the stat sheet or the recruiting rankings. You start inside the gym, where, after an offseason of changes, Greg Gard and his staff are working with a roster that feels less like a rebuild and more like a reset. Eleven players are out. Nine new faces are in. And now that the dust has settled, what\u2019s left is a group trying to build something new without losing sight of who they are.<\/p>\n

And if there\u2019s a short list of things you need to know right now in the middle of July, it\u2019s this: Wisconsin likes its depth, they\u2019re playing faster a lot, and the overall level of competitive nature of practice is intense.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s July, so I try to keep things in perspective,” Gard told reporters<\/a>. They\u2019ve worked. They\u2019ve come in. It\u2019s a pretty talented group, and it\u2019s just a matter of continuing to refine some things. In the summer, a lot of times, it’s about experimenting, so we\u2019re tinkering with different things.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019ve had to kick them out of the gym at times because they really like to play. I think we\u2019ve got good depth. I think we\u2019ve got size, and the experience that the transfers have brought has been pretty obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just the usual round of summer optimism. Gard knows exactly where this program stands. After a 2024-25 season that saw Wisconsin enter March as a No. 3 seed but leave with the sting of another exit in the tournament, the Badgers faced a crossroads. Veteran pieces moved on, the transfer portal spun, and college basketball\u2019s landscape continued to tilt toward the programs that can blend talent acquisition with cultural fit.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Wisconsin didn\u2019t just go looking for names this offseason. They went looking for answers. What they came back with is a roster that feels thoughtfully built. Core returners like John Blackwell and Nolan Winter remain, ready to take on expanded roles. Proven transfers like Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde, and Austin Rapp arrive with experience and the ability to play key roles in Gard\u2019s system. And with international additions also in the fold, there\u2019s real intrigue about how this group could come together.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s been one clear storyline emerging from the summer, it\u2019s John Blackwell<\/a> \u2014 and the version of him Wisconsin is getting back is different from the one fans last saw in March.<\/p>\n

After a breakout sophomore season in which he started all 37 games and averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, Blackwell tested the NBA Draft waters, gathered feedback, and made the decision to return to Madison. But it\u2019s not the same Blackwell walking back through the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the confidence level, whether the NBA experience was what brought that out of him or if it\u2019s just going into year three, you can see he\u2019s bigger physically, he\u2019s leaner, he\u2019s really trimmed up, and he\u2019s cut in some areas that he didn\u2019t have the definition in before,” Gard said of Blackwell. “And he\u2019s come with a more dominant mentality. As you can see when we play, he has the ability to take over and really dominate games.\u201d<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just about Blackwell taking another step \u2014 it\u2019s about him stepping into a starring role. Last season, he earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament team, finishing as Wisconsin\u2019s second-leading scorer. He led the Badgers in scoring 11 times, dropped four games with 25 or more points, and capped it off with a career-high 32-point explosion against Iowa.<\/p>\n

Simply put, Blackwell isn\u2019t just coming back older \u2014 he\u2019s coming back ready to be the guy now that John Tonje is in the NBA. And for a Wisconsin team learning how to play together, that\u2019s the kind of anchor they can build around. And the most promising part? He\u2019s got help.<\/p>\n

Nick Boyd<\/a> has made quite the impression since arriving in Madison. The 6-foot-3 guard, who comes to Wisconsin by way of Florida Atlantic and San Diego State, has been electric in summer practice.<\/p>\n

How electric? Coach Gard joked they almost needed helmets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have put helmets on players because a few almost had some concussions with the passes that he threw,\u201d Gard said. \u201cIt was like, \u2018Hey, just get ready because he sees you. It\u2019s coming.\u2019 We haven\u2019t had that in terms of the speed and the ability to deliver the ball that he brings. So our bigs and our screeners have to get used to the ball coming at a pretty hot pace. If you\u2019re screening for him, he\u2019s probably going to hit you in some way, shape, or form. He\u2019s going to find a way to get the ball to you.<\/p>\n

“He just makes so many things happen with the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just the speed. Boyd brings poise, playmaking, and a veteran presence Wisconsin has sorely needed. He\u2019s logged over 100 career games, played in three NCAA Tournaments, and was part of FAU\u2019s Final Four run. Last season at San Diego State, he averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, starting every contest. His 2.4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and 35% clip from three-point range make him a reliable playmaker who can both run the offense and stretch the floor.<\/p>\n

Gard has even kept Boyd and Blackwell on opposite teams in scrimmages to stoke their competitive fire \u2014 two natural alphas pushing each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a terrific leader, really vocal, extremely competitive,\u201d Gard said. \u201cHe\u2019s positive. He holds guys accountable. He holds himself accountable. He works every day in the weight room. He\u2019s just at another level in terms of the maturity and the leadership that he brings. And that\u2019s what you want from your point guard. The combination of leadership, ability, athleticism, speed, and how he sees the game, all those things rolled into one\u2014it puts him in a position to really impact our team in a positive way.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a Wisconsin team in need of a steady hand and a spark at the point, Boyd looks ready to deliver both. His arrival also gives Blackwell the freedom to slide back into his more natural off-ball role, where he can focus on getting to his spots and scoring, while still having the flexibility to bring the ball up when needed. And with Boyd capable of playing off the ball as well, the two complement each other in ways that could make this backcourt one of the most versatile and dynamic in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been wondering when Wisconsin\u2019s frontcourt will take the next step, Gard didn\u2019t hesitate to point out junior big man Nolan Winter.<\/p>\n

\u201cNolan, I think he\u2019s close to 250 now in terms of his weight,\u201d Gard said. \u201cThere\u2019s been nobody, really, I felt that hasn\u2019t taken a jump. I think the weight room has been really good for them. It\u2019s been something that they haven\u2019t been accustomed to in the other places they\u2019ve been at. So that\u2019s been a little bit of a transition and a good experience for them because their bodies are changing and getting challenged in ways they haven\u2019t in the past. But Nolan\u2019s made some pretty serious jumps.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Winter didn\u2019t suggest he\u2019s quite hit the 250-pound mark that Gard mentioned, the 7-footer did note he\u2019s made a point this offseason to focus on extra meals and dedicated time in the weight room with Jim Snider to keep adding good weight. His target? Somewhere around 245 pounds, a playing weight he believes will help him hold up physically while still leaning into the mobility and skill that make his game so effective.<\/p>\n

Winter\u2019s trajectory looks as promising as anyone\u2019s on the roster. The Minnesota native has quietly transformed himself from a skilled stretch big into someone who can handle the grind of Big Ten play. He\u2019s added size, toughness, and maybe most importantly, the confidence and edge you need when you\u2019re stepping into a bigger role.<\/p>\n

Winter started all 37 games last season, averaging 9.4 points and 5.8 rebounds on an efficient 56.4% from the field, despite playing just 21 minutes a night. His 35.8% shooting from 3-point territory isn\u2019t just window dressing either; he\u2019s a legitimate floor spacer, giving Wisconsin the kind of pick-and-pop or trail-three threat that modern offenses need.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s why it matters now: Wisconsin\u2019s frontcourt rotation is almost entirely new. With Steven Crowl, Carter Gilmore, and Xavier Amos gone, Winter isn\u2019t just another piece; he\u2019s the focal point. They\u2019ll need him to anchor the middle, even if \u201cplaying center\u201d in the Big Ten looks different today than it did a decade ago. That means taking on more scoring responsibility and increased physicality over the course of a season.<\/p>\n

And with international forward Aleksas Bieliauskas arriving, young talent like Riccardo Greppi, and true freshman Will Garlock from Middleton, who assistant Joe Krabbenhoft called \u201cas athletic as I\u2019ve seen, running to the rim and finishing above it\u201d plus the addition of Temple transfer Elijah Gray, a senior with real experience, Winter\u2019s role only becomes more central.<\/p>\n

Everyone in the building sees it. Winter has the modern skill set, the added size to his frame, and the year-over-year growth that screams breakout. The ceiling here? It\u2019s as high as he\u2019s willing to chase.<\/p>\n

A big theme of Wisconsin\u2019s portal approach this offseason was about finding the right fits to build around their core returning pieces. That\u2019s where Andrew Rohde<\/a> comes in.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-6 in-state product arrives from Virginia with the kind of versatility Wisconsin knew it needed. And while fans might initially look at his scoring ability, it\u2019s his passing that\u2019s turned heads in the gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he really likes playing in this system. I think it fits him,” said Gard. “As much as he scores and does, I think his passing may be his best attribute. I mean, at his size and how he can play in the ball screens, I\u2019ve seen the passing really shine from day one. And I think he’s another guy that the experience shows. There are a lot of new things offensively that we\u2019re doing that he hasn\u2019t done in the past, but it fits exactly who he is as a player and his skill level. And if you can play with the ball in your hands and play fast and play in ball screens, you\u2019re going to love playing in this.<\/p>\n

“He commented about how good it felt to be in, playing at the pace and in the spacing of the floor, the movement, and all the things that we\u2019ve been able to incorporate within this system. They fit him pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s more than just lip service. Rohde started 26 games last season for Virginia, averaging 9.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. He became one of their most reliable playmakers, shooting 43.2% from the field, 41.3% from beyond the arc on 3.5 attempts per game, and connecting on 77.3% of his attempts at the free throw line.<\/p>\n

His assist-to-turnover numbers were also impressive. Rohde had 129 assists to just 55 turnovers last season, a 2.34-to-1 ratio, and joined a rare statistical club. Since 2008, only three high-major players 6-foot-6 or taller have posted a 25% assist rate while shooting 40% or better from deep on 100+ shot attempts: Lonzo Ball, Desmond Bane, and Rohde.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of selfless, high-IQ, multi-dimensional player Wisconsin has added. He’s someone who doesn\u2019t just slot into the system but elevates it. And in a backcourt now stacked with experience and versatility, Rohde gives Wisconsin another reason to believe this roster isn\u2019t just about replacing pieces \u2014 it\u2019s about adding layers to the offense.<\/p>\n

And for anyone wondering who handles backup point guard duties, here\u2019s the truth: Wisconsin doesn\u2019t have a shortage of options. They have an abundance. Rohde, Blackwell, Boyd \u2014 all three can bring the ball up and run the offense for stretches. That\u2019s a luxury, especially in a system that\u2019s become even more positionless and only promises to improve the team\u2019s spacing moving forward. The Badgers’ starting backcourt is really good.<\/p>\n

One of the most interesting revelations from Gard wasn\u2019t about a player, but about the program itself. Gard spoke at length about elevating Marc VandeWettering into a general manager role<\/a>, a kind of front-office move more common in professional sports than in college programs until now.<\/p>\n

\u201cChief of staff is just another fancy name for general manager, or whatever you want to call it, front office,\u201d Gard said with a smile. \u201cI don’t see him now, he’s hard to get a hold of\u2026 he became one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t mistake this for a vanity title.<\/p>\n

According to Gard, VandeWettering\u2019s role is critical as college basketball moves into the revenue-share era and NIL-fueled roster management.<\/p>\n

What does that mean practically? He\u2019s running six months ahead of the program, already thinking about retention, contracts, and roster construction for 2026\u201327 while the coaching staff is focused on today.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s forecasting, not only with the revenue share \u2014 we\u2019re having to spin a lot of new plates with how this is all going to work under the House settlement, the clearinghouse, everything going forward,\u201d Gard explained. \u201cWe just let him run down the road ahead. So when we get there as a program, as a team, when it\u2019s time next spring or late this fall to try to re-sign guys for 2026-27 or build a roster for the spring of \u201926, he\u2019s already out in front.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just spreadsheets and scholarship math. Gard called it what it is: a professional sports model.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgent relations, conversations with agents, developing relationships, understanding which agents have what players, not only on the high school side but internationally and here in the States. There are just so many things he can run ahead on and stay out in front of us. I think that\u2019s going to help. Not that we won\u2019t be there and listen and have input.”<\/p>\n

In short, this is the future of roster building in college athletics. And for Wisconsin, it\u2019s not just about keeping up \u2014 it\u2019s about staying ahead.<\/p>\n

Gard even acknowledged that to make this shift happen, they had to pull some of VandeWettering\u2019s old operational duties off his plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were going to bury him under the Kohl Center if we kept piling stuff on his plate,\u201d Gard joked.<\/p>\n

Expect Wisconsin to make a new operations hire soon, freeing up VandeWettering to focus on what Gard calls the \u201cfront office\u201d duties.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s another sign that Wisconsin is adapting, not just to the players they want on the court, but to the entire way college basketball operates off it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to overhype a summer workout. It\u2019s even easier to crown a team offseason winners in July that hasn\u2019t taken a meaningful shot yet. But the signs around this Wisconsin team suggest something notable is brewing.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t just plug gaps. They raised the floor, raised the ceiling, and added fuel to the internal competition. There\u2019s more pace, more shooting, plenty of experience, and competition at every spot. There\u2019s also a head coach who knows the marathon ahead\u2014and isn\u2019t about to skip steps.<\/p>\n

“Like I just reminded them, \u2018Hey, it\u2019s July, right?\u2019 We\u2019ve got a long way to go yet before we even start the official practice, let alone a first game or the start of conference play,” Gard explained. <\/p>\n

“But you don\u2019t want to waste days either, right? We want to make sure we maximize everything we have here. We don\u2019t want to look back in October and November and go, \u2018Man, I wish I had a couple more days back in June or July or August.\u2019 So, this group has done a good job of toeing that line.”<\/p>\n

This program has, by far, the clearest identity it\u2019s had in the Gard era\u2014on offense, in how it builds the roster, and in how it\u2019s thinking creatively about staying competitive in today\u2019s revenue-driven era. With a returning core of Blackwell and Winter, plus transfers like Rapp, Boyd, and Rohde, Wisconsin has put together a group that looks dynamic, full of shooting, versatile, and built to play exactly the way this staff envisions.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s still real competition to sort out, especially when it comes to who will round out the top bench spots. But out of that, you can see an eight- or nine-man rotation taking shape that should make this staff (and this fan base) feel optimistic as it comes together. Of course, it\u2019s hard to project exactly how that translates to wins and losses, especially after losing an All-American like Tonje to the NBA. But as it stands today, this has all the makings of another NCAA Tournament-caliber team.<\/p>\n

The Badgers will tell the rest of the story when the lights come on this winter. But make no mistake\u2014the foundation is being poured right now. And they don\u2019t want to waste a second.<\/p>\n

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com<\/a>. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.<\/p>\n

You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff<\/a> at @DillonGraff<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n