Badgers’ bench wing Braeden Carrington shining with strong initial 2025 practices

The Badgers’ coaching staff had not been involved with Carrington the first two times, but come the third the staff knew the wing would be a valuable addition to the program. Carrington ultimately signed with Wisconsin for what will be his final collegiate season, and likely one that will be his best campaign to date.

So far, the Badgers’ staff and media alike have been surprised by the offensive capabilities that Carrington possesses. The wing continues to impress during each practice and has seemingly become a key part of a Badgers’ team that is a very close unit. The Badgers may have struck gold with Carrington, but exactly how can the wing produce for the team in the future?

Braeden Carrington Provides Bench Depth Wisconsin Badgers Need

Carrington is both an intriguing and potentially vital part of the Badgers’ roster due to the vast skill-set the wing possesses. Early in his high school career and years with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Carrington made a name for himself as an explosive scoring wing with a strong outside shot and great perimeter presence. However, Carrington has added plenty more to his game since joining the collegiate ranks.

Last season with Tulsa, the wing scored 1.5 three-point shots per game while scoring 33.6% of the time from outside. Carrington is not the most lights-out shooter from beyond the arc, but where his talent becomes clear is in his ability to shoot any long-range shot. The wing can step-back and create his own shot, spot-up on the wing for an open look, or even take the late game shot from the logo.

The wing is right-handed and tends to shoot from the right side and drive towards his dribbling, dominant side. Carrington excels at creating plays on his right side and tends to shoot better when doing so, but can provide spacing on the left of the foul line that will be very useful.

Currently the wing is not projected to earn a starting role over Andrew Rohde, who is someone Coach Greg Gard has been high on. Coming off of the bench could be a blessing in disguise for Carrington who started 29 games in the last two seasons.

His combination of being able to create offense and additionally create stops on the other end are skills that will pair well with the rest of the team, especially considering how Coach Gard utilizes his bench. Carrington was not necessarily used in a strategic manner at Tulsa and there was no real sign of who would play and when. Gard and the Badgers’ staff handpicked Carrington due to the vision of how the wing can fit within the team, which should be a change that has an impact on his upcoming season.

How Carrington will Elevate Wisconsin Badgers’ Teammates During the Season

Many questions regarding how Carrington would be used by Wisconsin were evident following his transfer into the program. However, the guard has an excellent feel for the court and his passing and lane vision are two skills that set his teammates up for easy feeds.

Carrington notably played nearly seven more minutes per game after transferring from Minnesota to Tulsa, but additionally improved his passing and vision in the process. Previously, the guard had just two games during the 2023-24 season with more than two assists. Last season, Carrington recorded six games with more than two assists and finished the season with a career-high 50 assists.

The wing entered the transfer portal for the second time with a great reputation of fighting for rebounds and providing the needed extra pass. In just one season, Carrington saw immense growth all-around on offense seeing his rating jump from 98.3 to 110.1.

Carrington did not magically become more valuable either. Rather the wing reduced the amount of poor and unnecessary shot attempts he took and replaced them with passes and fakes. His self-awareness and ability to greatly adapt his play-style will be key to his success in Madison.

Another important note displaying the growth of Carrington involves his steal numbers. The wing recorded 32 steals last season which nearly tripled his steal total during the 2022-23 season. Turning defense into offense has become a mainstay in the play of Carrington, which should open scoring opportunities for other Badgers’ players in transition.

Carrington has shown consistent progression in his production across his collegiate career. With a clear upgrade in the team around him, this upcoming season might be the one where Carrington truly blossoms.