The Badgers could have one of the top juniors in the country this season.
The Wisconsin Badgers are back to work, recently hosting two summer workouts for the media to attend, as they look ahead to the 2025-26 season.
There was quite a bit of turnover for the Badgers this offseason, with nine new faces entering the program.
However, Wisconsin does return lead guard John Blackwell and top forward Nolan Winter, who should both play crucial roles for the team in 2025.
Blackwell enjoyed a breakout season in 2024-25, averaging 15.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game en rout to earning All-Big Ten honors. He’s already been in the All-American and All-Big Ten First-Team conversation for this upcoming season.
Winter, on the other hand, was one of the most efficient players in the country during his first year as a starter, shooting over 56 percent from the field and over 35 percent from deep as a sophomore.
So, it’s no surprise that many have pegged him as a breakout candidate in 2025, including CBS Sports’s Isaac Trotter.
“Winter has packed on weight and could be a force for a Wisconsin offense that will hum,” Trotter wrote. “John Blackwell will be the Badgers’ star, but Winter’s two-way appeal is clear as day. A 6-foot-11 big man who drills 3-pointers and is a menace on the boards is an ultra-valuable piece.”
Winter has already been seen as a potential NBA prospect, with ESPN ranking him No. 53 on their way-too-early Big Board for the 2026 NBA Draft.
Especially if his transition to center goes well this season, he would definitely bring appeal as a stretch big who has a high IQ in the pick-and-roll and good length as a shot-blocker in the paint.
Wisconsin’s offense should feature all of those skills this season, as the Badgers have several stretch bigs once again to pair with a strong backcourt that includes Blackwell and transfers Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde.
If anyone on the team is primed for that breakout campaign, it’s Winter.