The Wisconsin basketball staff has been busy without leaving the state as many 2026 and 2027 recruiting are popping up and proving themselves.
Among the individuals looking to prove themselves sits 2027 forward Ben Nielsen, a Wisconsin native through and through. Nielsen attends Badger High School in Lake Geneva where he also plays on the basketball team. This past season as a freshman, Nielsen struggled to make it on the court consistently, but has made massive improvements ahead of his upcoming season.
Wisconsin Basketball Keeping a Close Eye Upon 2027 Forward Ben Nielsen
As the summer continues to progress, many college basketball programs have begun to stick their foot into the door of the 2027 recruiting class. The rising sophomores in high school have plenty of talent, and the Wisconsin basketball staff is committed to getting out to an early start in the class. The Badgers have started by scouting out the great state of Wisconsin, which has produced plenty of players they plan on keeping a close eye on this upcoming season.
Among the players who the staff will look out for is 2027 forward Ben Nielsen, a talented hooper with an array of skills on the court. Nielsen stands in at 6-feet-5-inches but plays much more like that of a 6-foot-8-inch forward on the court. Nielsen cuts viciously to the basket and creates open looks for himself and his teammates using his size and length to his advantage.
The forward may not be the tallest or thickest player on the court, but Nielsen understands how to use his body to his advantage and does so extremely well. On the defensive side of the ball, Nielsen is confident and feels his ‘tenacity’ when guarding allows him to cover any position on the floor. On the offensive side of the ball, Nielsen is a selfless player that will kick out and allow his teammate to take the open jumper instead of forcing a shot.
Ben Nielsen: “I Want to be Surrounded by Winners and People Who Want More Than Anything to be Better.”
For some recruits there are specific criteria that need to be met by their potential collegiate home, and for Nielsen that criteria involves winning. When asked about what he is looking for in a school, Nielsen responded, “I want to be surrounded by winners and people who want more than anything to be better. That energy is contagious and leads programs to be the best they possibly can be.”
Nielsen is focused on consistently becoming better, which is why he has set his college sights on winning and winning something meaningful. Off the court, Nielsen is also consistently putting in the work he needs to put in to improve his weak areas.
When asked about what he felt he needs to improve upon, Nielsen stated, “I feel like a struggle in my game has been ball handling and I need to do more work with that.” To fix his issue, Nielsen has enlisted the help of his father and brother who have both worked with the forward daily this off-season to improve his skills.
Can Nielsen Become a Member of the Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Program in the Future?
While not every player that is scouted by a program eventually becomes a part of said program, Nielsen is a homegrown athlete who could stay in-state. Nielsen was not asked about the value of location, but rather spoke about the value of the mindset of his potential collegiate home. The forward wants to be in an environment that is solely focused on winning and getting better.
With the right amount of effort from both Nielsen and the Wisconsin basketball staff in the future, the forward could stay home and play for the Badgers. Nielsen has the potential to be the most successful player to come out of Badger High School if he is able to put it all together moving forward. The athlete certainly has both the skills and the demeanor to accomplish his upcoming goals.
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