The Wisconsin Badgers will start the college basketball season next week. They will be under the spotlight by the Badgers fanbase to perform in the BIG10 Conference in 2024-2025.
With a lot of player movement this offseason, head coach Greg Gard is under the spotlight to get the job done this season. One of the players who could very well break out this season for the Badgers is sophomore guard John Blackwell.
Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach Greg Gard Has High Hopes For Johnny Blackwell This Season
Last season, Blackwell came off the bench and earned All-BIG10 freshman honors. This year, he could very well be in the starting lineup for the Badgers. Head coach Greg Gard said to Evan Flood of 247sports about Johnny Blackwell entering the 2024-2025 college basketball season:
“He came back in June and I felt he knew he was the best player on the floor. He wanted to be the best player on the floor. He wanted to dominate. I don’t like to compare to the past, but Johnny came back with that same type of mentality as a sophomore. They’re completely different players, but the mindset and approach to the game, the maturity level, and the want-to to be the best is pretty evident. I saw that with Johnny and I see that with John as well.”
Badgers head coach Greg Gard was trying to compare Blackwell to Johhny Davis. It will be interesting to see what kind of season Johnny Blackwell has for the Badgers.
2023-2024 Stats
As a freshman last season, he played in 34 games. Blackwell averaged 8.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.1 BPG, and 0.4 SPG. Johnny Blackwell also shot 44.6% from the field, 45.5% from three-point land, and 82.1% from the free-throw line.
If the Wisconsin Badgers are going to get back to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season, he will have to be great for this basketball team. His performance early in the season could very well dictate how the rest of the 2024-2025 college basketball season goes for him under head coach Greg Gard.
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