Now that John Blackwell has removed his name from NBA Draft consideration, the Wisconsin Badgers can rest easy knowing that last year’s second-leading scorer — John Blackwell, at 15.8 points per game — will be back for his junior season.
How will the Badgers likely line up? Here’s a look at the possible depth chart:
Point guard: John Blackwell
He handed out 81 assists last year and was second on the team in minutes with 31.2 per game. Already scoring close to 16 points and five rebounds last year, he’ll be one of Wisconsin’s premier weapons.
Shooting guard: Nick Boyd
Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Nick Boyd (2) dribbles the ball defended by North Carolina Tar Heels guard Ian Jackson (11) in the first half at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The San Diego State transfer averaged 13.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season, plus 3.9 assists. He also has experience in the upper reaches of the NCAA Tournament during his time at Florida Atlantic.
Wing: Andrew Rohde
Mar 8, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Andrew Rohde (4) shoots against Syracuse Orange guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. (0) during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
The 6-6 guard from Brookfield transferred from Virginia, where he had 9.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, while taking great care of the basketball. He also shot 41% from three-point range.
Forward: Austin Rapp
Jan 2, 2025; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Michael Ajayi (1) fights for position against Portland Pilots forward Austin Rapp (22) in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
The 6-10 transfer from Portland and native of Australia averaged 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season as the West Coast Conference freshman of the year. He shot 35% from three-point range.
Forward: Nolan Winter
Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) warms up during practice at Ball Arena.
If we’re calling the 7-0 Winter a center, we can, but he’ll be shooting as well after hitting at a 36% clip from beyond the arc as a sophomore in 2024-25. He averaged 21 minutes and 9.5 points per game.
Top reserves
Feb 15, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (33) celebrates with guard John Blackwell (25) after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
-
Jack Janicki, guard. The sophomore played in 37 games for the Badgers last year, averaging 11.8 minutes and 2.2 points per game.
-
Braeden Carrington, guard. The 6-5 former Minnesota player spent a year at Tulsa and has transferred back to the Big Ten. He started 19 games last year and his 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 26.8 minutes per game were career highs.
Bench options
-
Hayden Jones, guard. The freshman 6-5 New Zealander is a bit of a wild card with a high ceiling; how does his past competition level translate to Division I athletics?
-
Jack Robison, guard. As a freshman last year, the 6-5 Minnesota native played in 13 games.
-
Riccardo Greppi, forward. The 6-10 big man only played in eight games last year but figures to see a jump in opportunities this year.
-
Aleksas Bieliauskas, center. At 6-11, the freshman from Lithuania is a big man who … guess what? … can also shoot. He hit 39% last year from three-point range.
-
Zach Kinziger, guard. The freshman from De Pere has been committed to UW since 2023; will there be enough guard minutes to go around?
-
Isaac Gard, guard. The walk-on has already been with the program three years, appearing in 23 career games.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What’s Wisconsin basketball depth chart with John Blackwell back?
