The Wisconsin Badgers basketball staff previously placed an emphasis on recruiting internationally which has paid off in the form of signings.
Wisconsin will have three international players on the roster during the upcoming season with Riccardo Greppi (Italy), Hayden Jones (New Zealand), and Aleksas Bieliauskas (Lithuania) set to play. Greppi and Jones are both accomplished young international players, but Bieliauskas has proven himself to be a different kind of animal thus far.
The Lithuanian athlete has been playing for the U20 team during the 2025 FIBA Eurobasket tournament which recently ended. Bieliauskas turned heads, recording double-doubles and establishing himself as a capable big-man who looks ready to make the jump overseas.
The Wisconsin Badgers have been very high on Bieliauskas, who has proven himself to be a very technical and astute player. Wisconsin runs a no-nonsense system that outlines specific plays and shots to take that will result in the most success. Bieliauskas is a loose, athletic player who plays rigid, disciplined basketball that could make for the perfect marriage with the Badgers.
Wisconsin Badgers Forward Aleksas Bieliauskas Could Be Under-the-Radar Contributor
Coach Greg Gard is not exactly the type of coach who will play first-year players right away, but Bieliauskas is not the typical first-year forward. The Lithuanian big provides experience, expertise, and skill unlike many of the other international freshmen the Badgers previously brought in.
On the court, Bieliauskas is a talented forward who is light on his feet and great at filling the open space on the court. The forward primarily scores as the roll man within the offense and Bieliauskas does a great job at moving towards the basket and putting himself in a position to score. The forward is also not solely a roll finisher at the rim, but rather someone who can comfortable pull-up and knock down a jumper when rolling.
Bieliauskas has a great balance in his offensive game between outside shooting and strong, athletic finishing in the paint. The forward is light on his feet and glides around the paint to create shots from difficult angles for himself.
When the forward is not scoring for the offense, then Bieliauskas will be following the basketball around in search of making a play. The forward consistently moves with the ball and places himself in a position to rebound, set a screen, or help relay a long pass. Where Bieliauskas truly performs best when not shooting the basketball is rebounding for the offense.
Bieliauskas is a capable rebounder and excels at putting himself in the perfect position to score off of a missed shot. Second-chance points are a big part of the game of the forward and the willingness to specialize in some of the grittier aspects of basketball is part of what attracted the Wisconsin Badgers staff. Moving onto Madison, the forward could make noise on campus given the experience and skill set possessed.
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