The potential Wisconsin basketball starting lineup for the 2024 basketball season has been put together by a college basketball analyst.
Jon Rothstein, a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports tweeted out a conversation he had with Wisconsin Badgers coach Greg Gard. The coach stated that forward Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl would start alongside each other “if the season were today.” Gard also stated he expects John Blackwell and Max Klesmit to perform well alongside each other this season, leaving one position left.
The surmised starting point guard this season is true freshman Daniel Freitag, who has been a monster throughout camp. Freitag is an intelligent and athletic player that always seems to find a way to cut through the opposing defenses. The guard was highly successful at the high school level and has been expected to take the next step in competition with ease.
Greg Gard tells me that if the season started today, Nolan Winter would be Wisconsin’s starting PF alongside Steven Crowl.
Also mentioned that he expects Max Klesmit to be a double-figure scorer this season alongside Crowl and John Blackwell.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 18, 2024
If Freitag were to not secure the starting position, the next man up would likely be in-house favorite Kamari McGee. The guard did not play the full season last year due to injury, and the spark he provided off the bench was missed in his absence. McGee finds ways to assist the team that may not always show up on the stat sheet, but still hold value for the team.
McGee was previously a starter for UW-Green Bay during the 2021-2022 season, where he started 21 games. The guard averaged 11.6 points, 1.1 steals, and 1.9 assists for Green Bay before transferring onto the Wisconsin Badgers bench.
What Impact Could Nolan Winter Have Starting For the Wisconsin Basketball Team?
While Winter is not the confirmed starter yet according to Gard himself, the forward could offer plenty to the team.
Winter played in all 36 games last season and averaged 9.4 minutes per game off of the bench for the Badgers. Winter scored 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game for the Wisconsin Badgers, and quickly became the first big off of the bench. The dynamic big man is nearly 7-feet tall and has been working to develop a shooting stride from outside of the arc.
The forward did not have the chance to really open up his offensive arsenal for the Wisconsin Badgers in his first collegiate season last year. However, Winter could do so if he starts alongside Crowl, who would offer a complimentary style of play. Winter is a big man but still not the most physical player, which is something that will need to improve this season in order for his starting position to remain in tact.
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