NFL
By: Melo Williams
The Wisconsin Badgers’ season ended at Fiserv Forum last March, losing to Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Then the Badgers lost star guard Johnny Davis after declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft getting drafted 10th overall in the first round by the Washington Wizards and First-Team All-American, Brad Davison to graduation. Wisconsin also lost Chris Vogt, Ben Carlson, and Lorne Bowman. Big holes to fill.
It’s not often when college basketball season rolls around and the preseason polls are released that the Wisconsin Badgers aren’t ranked in the Top 25.
Over the past 15 seasons, the Badgers have started the year unranked in the AP Top 25 poll six times. In five of those six years, the Badgers finished the season ranked.
However, that is the case for the start of the 2022-2023 season. The Badgers weren’t picked in the Top 25 preseason poll. Wisconsin is also projected to finish (9th) in the league.
This season I’ll admit, Badger men’s basketball indeed has a lot to prove this season after winning the Big Ten regular season championship last season, their second in three years.
The 2021-22 team was the youngest and most inexperienced team Greg Gard has coached since taking over for former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan. Though coaching this team will pose its challenges Gard will have some players he can lean on.
Tyler Wahl and Chucky Hepburn who were named preseason All-Big Ten selections are coming back adding some veteran depth to the roster. Last season, Wahl started 32 games and averaged 11.4 points per game. Hepburn started in 33 games last season as a freshman, averaging 7.9 points per game.
Wofford transfer Max Klesmit an in-state kid and transfer come to UW with two years of experience starting at the shooting guard spot vacated by Davison. Klesmit provides defense and can space the floor with his shooting.
With Lorne Bowman leaving, Badgers got another big-time transfer from UW-Green Bay Kamari McGee. McGee entered the transfer portal and left the Phoenix after having a good freshman year in the Horizon League. Kamari brings energy, defense, and playmaking ability. He’ll most likely run the second unit but expect to see Kamari McGee logging big minutes.
Wisconsin basketball’s projected starting lineup for 2022-23:
Point Guard: Chucky Hepburn
Shooting Guard: Max Klesmit
Small Forward: Jordan Davis
Power Forward: Tyler Wahl
Center: Steven Crowl
EXPECTATIONS:
Wisconsin has been a recruit-and-develop program for decades. They’re one of the best to do it. You would have to look at a basketball program like Gonzaga that recruits and develop in-state players that are not All-American players. Though the Badgers haven’t won a National Championship yet, they came close several years after the Dick Bennett and Bo Ryan eras.
Expect to see Greg Gards’ team remaining true to the Badgers’ identity by doing what they do best: Taking high-percentage shots, not turning the ball over, playing disciplined defense, and getting to the free-throw line more than their opponents.
The winning formula for UW will remain the same as its always been since the 70s. Don’t over-dribble, move the ball, find the open man, touch the post, play inside-out and set up open threes. Take the best shot. Communicate.
It’s going to take some time for the Badgers to settle into their new roles. As usual, conference play is when teams want to be ready. I would anticipate that Greg Gard will have his Badgers prepared for B1G Ten conference play and March Madness.
Wisconsin will finish the regular season in the Top 25 and 4th to 6th in the B1G Ten and will go dancing for the seventh time in eight seasons under Greg Gard.
Wisconsin’s regular season begins Monday, November 7 against South Dakota. The Badgers will play Stanford on November 11 at American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Badgers will return to Fiserv on December 3 as they take on their in-state rival Marquette University.
