After a slew of additions to the Wisconsin basketball program, Badgers head coach Greg Gard has remained active in the transfer portal.
Jake Lieberman reported that the Badgers have their sights set on McCook Community College (JUCO) transfer center Noah Boyed.
Initially committed to Baylor in November 2023, Boyed has since been released from his letter of intent. He is now fielding interest from notable programs, including Ohio State, Minnesota, Creighton, and several others.
Standing at 7 feet tall, Boyed had an impressive stat line during his 2022-23 season at McCook Community College, averaging 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on 56.7% shooting from the field.
However, his promising start to the 2023-24 season was cut short by a knee injury, which shut him down for the year. With three years of eligibility remaining, Boyed is now eyeing a move to the Division I level.
What This Means for the Wisconsin Basketball Team
While Wisconsin basketball boasts enough depth at center with the return of senior big man Steven Crowl and projected heir apparent Nolan Winter, who is expected to take a big leap as a sophomore, exploring more depth in the portal is a luxury that would undoubtedly make the Badgers better.
On paper, it seems that if brought in, someone like Noah Boyed would likely slot in behind Winter initially, though he could compete for some spot minutes right away.
On the recruiting trail, Greg Gard has explored other rim-running centers who can block shots in the past, so this shouldn’t be a big surprise. It’s clear that Gard wants to bring in a tendency-breaking developmental piece that could be a defensive asset for this roster.
Following the Wisconsin basketball team’s transfer portal additions of Central Arkansas point guard Camren Hunter, Northern Illinois power forward Xavier Amos, and Missouri wing John Tonje (unofficially), the Badgers would seemingly be out of available scholarships. That said, they’ll have some flexibility.
In a physical league like the Big Ten, frontcourt depth at forward and center is invaluable. Given that Chris Hodges hasn’t developed into a contributor for the Wisconsin basketball team during his three seasons, finding another center seems like a no-brainer if the Badgers have the resources to make it happen. This isn’t a need, but this reported interest indicates that Coach Gard isn’t comfortable staying status quo.
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