The Wisconsin Badgers have had an up-and-down season and haven’t quite been able to put it all together amidst a skid that dates back to their loss against Nebraska. Even still, as the season winds down, players must decide whether to enter the transfer portal, and one of those who made sense to leave Madison was guard Connor Essegian.
Connor Essegian’s Decision on the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers guard Connor Essegian has decided to stay with the team for his junior season instead of heading to the transfer portal, according to a report by Rivals’ BadgerBlitz. This announcement comes right before Wisconsin’s first game in the Big Ten Tournament against Maryland, with the team looking forward to extending its season beyond the guaranteed two games by securing additional wins.
Essegian had plenty to say about his time with the Badgers so far, but it was this quote that really stands out as to why he would stay: “There’s no reason (to enter the portal),” he said. “I love this place.”
Essegian’s choice to remain at Madison follows a season where his role on the court saw significant changes compared to his freshman year. After a promising start to his college career in the 2022-23 season with averages of 27.4 minutes per game and 11.7 points, his contributions in the 2023-24 season dipped to just 7.4 minutes and 3.1 points per game.
Connor Essegian is known more for his shooting prowess. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone his way and has caused a bit of a short leash for him this season. However, giving up on the former 3-star recruit might not be in the best interest of the Badgers.
The introduction of transfer guard A.J. Storr and the emergence of freshman John Blackwell into the Badgers’ lineup played a large role, but Greg Gard also considered Essegian’s defensive challenges when making his lineup decisions.
With the expectation that Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, John Blackwell, and Kamari McGee will return and the introduction of Daniel Freitag to the lineup, it’s surprising that he would stay, given the circumstances surrounding his playing time.
Connor Essegian has made an interesting choice to stay with the Wisconsin Badgers despite having his playing time drastically reduced. With dwindling playing time and plenty of other choices available, this says a lot about what Essegian might think of the overall program the Badgers offer.
Nowadays, a lot of college athletes will switch schools when faced with reduced playing time, and this is a positive sign that the Badgers are doing something right. With NIL deals potentially being lucrative for players, it’s a draw to transfer for more playing time.
Looking ahead, Wisconsin is expected to be active in the transfer portal to help bring them back to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, something that they haven’t been able to do since the 2016-17 season. For now, they are getting ready to try and extend their season through the Big Ten tournament with their first matchup against Maryland.
