Wisconsin Basketball Cracks Top 25 in Projections by Major Media Outlet

The 2023-24 season was a turbulent one for the Wisconsin basketball program.

After climbing all the way up to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the Badgers hit a late-season skid that set the team back, eventually culminating in a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament to James Madison.

Since the final buzzer sounded in the 72-61 loss, Wisconsin basketball has seen players like AJ Storr, Connor Essegian, and Gus Yalden, among others, enter the transfer portal. Though there are some holes to fill, UW will return core contributors, including Chucky Hepburn, Steven Crowl, Max Klesmit, John Blackwell, and Kamari McGee, for the 2024-25 campaign.

Despite a turbulent season and UW losing some key players, 247Sports still included Wisconsin in their “way-too-early” top-25, listing the Badgers at No. 18.

“Wisconsin could be so old and pretty reliable next season. You know what you’re getting from Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, and Steven Crowl,” 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter wrote. “John Blackwell was one of the Big Ten’s best freshmen this past season and could be a big candidate for a Year 2 jump. Big man Nolan Winter is going to be a good one, too.”

“Yes, Connor Essegian and AJ Storr entered the portal, but Wisconsin isn’t far away from being near the top of the Big Ten pecking order next season.”

This ranking comes after ESPN listed Wisconsin basketball in their way-too-early top 25.

There are some spots to fill via the transfer portal, but the Badgers staff has been very active, touching base with several forwards in search of a Tyler Wahl replacement, plus some wing prospects to supplement the scoring and athleticism lost by AJ Storr’s departure.

Wisconsin will also add incoming freshman Daniel Freitag into the mix, providing a boost to a guard room that has had multiple outgoing transfers.

It’s anyone’s guess how the Wisconsin basketball program will perform next season. However, with the team’s core returning, a standout incoming freshman, and hopefully, a few transfer portal pickups, Greg Gard and company could have a shot at being one of the top teams in the Big Ten in 2024-25.