Biggest risers and fallers from Wisconsin Badgers preseason basketball exhibitions

While he's already made strides on offense, Rapp still has plenty of room to grow as a defender.

He struggled while guarding on the perimeter against Platteville, often being tasked with significantly smaller players as the Pioneers had just two players 6-foot-8 or taller.

It also took a while for Rapp to get up to speed on the defensive end against Oklahoma.

FALLER: Jack Janicki

After playing a key role off the bench as a redshirt freshman last season, Janicki is poised to serve as Wisconsin's de-facto sixth man.

At local media day, he said one of his primary focuses this offseason was to grow as a shooter. A hustle defender with a knack for finding the basketball, Janicki becoming a knockdown shooter and a scoring threat would take his impact to another level.

He hasn't shown much growth on the offensive end, yet. Janicki went 1-for-4 from three-point range and missed his only look from inside the arc over the pair of exhibitions.

He will still be an impact player if his offensive game doesn't come around. But if he's not the bench player Wisconsin can rely upon to give an offensive spark, then they may not have a second-unit player who can fill that role.

RISER: Andrew Rohde

Rohde played point guard for most of the 2024-25 season at Virginia. Coming to a team with established ball handlers in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, it was unclear how Rohde would adapt to an auxiliary role.

He silenced any doubts with his exhibition performances. Rohde dished out a total of six assists —the most of any Badger player — and showed the ability to make a positive impact on and off the ball.

Off-ball, Rohde made himself available for kick-outs and did an excellent job spacing the floor. On-ball, he had success seeking out his own shot and didn't hesitate to find the open player.

But it was Rohde's defense that stood out most. A lengthy 6-foot-6 guard, he racked up steals and closed passing lanes.

His stats may not jump off the page this season, but Rohde's versatility and two-way ability complement the rest of Wisconsin's starting five in a way that will show up in the win column.

FALLER: Nick Boyd

Boyd being labeled a faller may be a byproduct of the level of hype he garnered throughout camp and built upon with a 21-point outburst in the Red/White scrimmage.

The SDSU transfer didn't have that same level of dominance in the Badgers pair of exhibitions. He struggled to finish at the rim against Oklahoma, and he went 1-for-9 from three-point range across the two contests.

The shots simply haven't been falling for Boyd, which isn't a major concern given his lengthy track record of success at the college level. Still, it was a let down after his exceptional start to his Badgers career.

Positively, his leadership and energy didn't falter. In the final minutes of the Oklahoma exhibition, Boyd was constantly prompting the Fiserv Forum crowd to get loud.

His never-ending motor has been as-advertised, and it looks like the Badgers could have more of a bite to them in 2025-26, largely due to his presence.