It’s still been a tough 72 hours for Wisconsin basketball. After losing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night to James Madison, the Badgers lost Connor Essegian and walk-on’s Ross Candelino and Luke Haertle to the transfer portal, this team will look a lot different next season.
Assuming Wisconsin basketball can keep most of their core, I like where this team will be at when next season begins, Right now, here is how I see the Wisconsin basketball depth chart looking right now.
Wisconsin Basketball Dept Chart: Point Guard- Chucky Hepburn/Kamari McGee or Daniel Freitag
I don’t seeing anything changing at the point guard position. Chucky Hepburn had his best season running the offense his junior season. Hepburn should be back for his senior season and is poised to end his Wisconsin basketball career as one of the better point guards in the program’s history.
Kamari McGee was the missing spark this team needed after missing 11 games with a toe injury. He had his best game as a Badger in his first game back against Rutgers. Expect McGee to give Hepburn breathers on the bench or as an off-ball player.
Do not sleep on incoming freshman Daniel Freitag. The 6’2 guard is very athletic and one of the best point guards in the 2024 class. His athleticism is ready for the college level. I would be shocked if he did not get minutes next season. Wisconsin basketball could use another athletic player on the court.
Shooting Guard- Max Klesmit/John Blackwell
It was a similar season for Max Klesmit in his second year in the program. He was great in December and January, but it seemed like the wheels fell off again in February and March. He had a really nice Big Ten Tournament and game against James Madison as well. I expect another solid and productive year next season.
I don’t think anyone saw the impact John Blackwell would have as true freshman. He led the team in three point shooting and averaged eight points a game in almost 20 minutes of action. Blackwell was so good at getting to the rim and drawing contact. He also appeared to lose some steam in March, but that is to be expected for a freshman.
It might be a hot take, but I would not be surprised if Blackwell was a starter next year at some point. He is already an above average defender, can shoot the three, and can make plays. At worst, I think Blackwell and Klesmit split minutes. I also think Daniel Freitag could take some minutes in this spot as well.
Small Forward- AJ Storr or Transfer(s)
We do not know what the future holds for AJ Storr. Regardless, after the news of Connor Essegian hitting the transfer portal, Wisconsin basketball will have to get at least one, if not, two players to replace this position. There just isn’t anyone else on the roster to take these minutes.
At a quick glance, maybe Isaac Lindsey or Markus Ilver, but Lindsey is under-sized and Ilver has not yet proven he can make shots consistently. If Storr stays, you don’t have to worry, but if he leaves, Greg Gard will be looking for a player with his skill sets to take over. Right now, that player is not on the current roster besides Storr.
Power Forward- Transfer/Gus Yalden or Markus Ilver
You can tell based on the players Wisconsin basketball is looking at in the portal that Tyler Wahl’s replacement is also not on the current roster. Whoever they get will need to contribute and start immediately.
I think the biggest wild card on this roster is Gus Yalden. After some off the court issues earlier in the year, Yalden did not play a game and did not travel to the Big Ten Tournament or NCAA Tournament. We don’t know what his future holds or if we ever see him take the court in a Wisconsin basketball uniform.
If he does stay and gets an opportunity, there is minutes for him to contribute right away. His defense will be a work in progress, but there is no denying how good he is on offense. At 6’9, he’s just a little bigger than Wahl, but can be threat from anywhere on the court.
Markus Ilver would be a safe choice year, but again, we know what the Badgers have in him and that’s inconsistency. If Gard was conformable with him, he would not be in the transfer portal looking for this position. This will be something to follow this spring and summer.
Center- Steven Crowl/Nolan Winter/Carter Gilmore
No doubt Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter will be your top players at the center position. I would not be surprised if the Badgers look for a shot blocker or someone to play a 2021-2022 Christ Vogt role either. Crowl just isn’t a shot blocker and is not a very good paint defender. He is, however, a very good facilitator and the offense is better when he gets touches.
Nolan Winter had an okay freshman year, but sky is the limit for him in my opinion. He should have the chance to add on roughly 10 pounds of muscle this off-season. If he does, I think Wisconsin basketball has a potential shot blocker on the team who can also stretch out big men all over the court. After next season, this is his spot for two seasons.
We will see what happens with Carter Gilmore, but just like Ilver, we know he is and what he brings. He is pretty good on the defensive side, but is a liability on offense and does not look to score. It is typically four on five when he’s in the game. He can come in for minutes if Winter and Crowl have foul issues, but that’s really the only time I would use him next season.
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