SerpApi.Org
The Wisconsin Badgers have made some major changes to the roster this offseason, adding eight new players to their existing core.
Their most notable addition was guard Owen Foxwell, who played the last two seasons in the NBL. But Wisconsin also landed Trey Autry, Eian Elmer, and Victory Onuetu from the transfer portal, while bringing in Jackson Ball, LaTrevion Fenderson, Isaac Riddle, and Josh Manchester in its freshman class.
Those eight players join returners Nolan Winter, Austin Rapp, Jack Janicki, Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger, and Will Garlock to form Wisconsin’s current roster of 14 players.
But there’s still one more roster spot available for the Badgers, who have begun their summer workouts. What’s their plan for that final spot?
Members of Wisconsin’s coaching staff are currently overseas evaluating talent while the Badgers also await the ruling on an injunction for seniors looking to play one more season of college basketball.
“Yeah, we’re in Europe right now,” Gard said when asked about the roster spot. “Lance [Randall] is in Europe watching U20s in Slovenia and in Croatia. Joe [Krabbenhoft]’s going at the end of the week to part of the U-20s and then also to some U-18s. And Joe’s going to Slovenia and then Italy.
“So, and then we’re evaluating, you know, with the injunction that just how that all impacts and who’s going to be attached to that. Does the injunction stay? You know, does the NCAA push back on it immediately or do they wait? I think there’s some unanswered questions there. But in terms of positionally, you know, I think trying to have some more frontline help is where we thought initially. And then after seeing them in person, I think just, just some more help for us even in practice. Bigger body. Obviously we got 2 sitting on the sidelines that are really impactful players, so it’s a little bit of a distorted view of what we have. I keep turning around behind me and seeing 2 guys that have played a lot of good basketball for us, so that’ll add to what our value is up front, so to speak, and the depth.:
Wisconsin currently has a good group of guards on their roster that could contribute next season. Foxwell, Autry, and Elmer project as starters, while Janicki, Jones, Kinziger, and even potentially Ball could all be factors for the Badgers in 2026.
In the frontcourt, Wisconsin returns Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp, while Will Garlock and Victory Onuetu provide quality size down low. Could another forward be where Wisconsin goes with that final spot?
“I think most likely it’s going to be somebody of large size,” Gard added. “Is it possible that Braeden [Carrington]— I don’t know where he’s at in terms of attaching to the [injunction]— I mean, that thing is changing by the hour and what his intentions are. If he’s going to get involved in that and be a part of that, it’s kind of still up in the air. He hasn’t been one way or the other on it. I think he’s kind of taking a wait-and-see approach, as we all are.
“We don’t know what it’s going to be, whether it’s going to get completely pushed back on. I think we’ll know more here by the end of the month. I think there’s going to have to be some movement one way or the other. There’s a lot of schools that reconvene in August, right? By mid-August, you’re gonna have to know more from an enrollment standpoint where— I don’t know how many— 50-some guys or more now that are part of the exemption.”
Carrington was among 25 players who joined the efforts to earn a fifth year of eligibility last week, and he could be a valuable top-of-the-bench option if he returns to Wisconsin. But the Badgers could also use more size in the frontcourt, so there are options with that final roster spot currently.
