Wisconsin Badgers: Which Freshman Could Have a Strong Impact During ’25-26 Season?

With the 2025 class completed and the freshman preparing to set up shop on campus, a more accurate deeper look into which players could have the most impact during the upcoming season can be done.

Wisconsin Badgers Impact Freshman: Center Will Garlock 

Garlock, a three-star center from Middleton, Wisconsin, has impressed the Badgers staff early on with what his 7-foot, 245-pound frame is capable of achieving. On the court, Garlock is “something we haven’t seen around here in a long time” according to Badgers assistant Joe Krabbenhoft, a respected member of the staff.

The big center is lengthy, instinctual, and versatile on defense with a great eye for blocking shots given his long wingspan. Garlock is not just a shot blocker on defense either, but also a quick big-man who can slide from the top of the key to the corner with ease. On offense, Garlock has an up-tempo mindset with constant eyes on the basket and a need to consistently attack when an opportunity presents itself.

The play-style and balance of defense and offense that the center possesses could allow for a perfect fit into the Wisconsin Badgers lineup if the work is put in moving forward.

Wisconsin Badgers Impact Freshman: Guard Zach Kinziger

The four-star De Pere native headlined the 2025 recruiting class for the Badgers and now possesses a chance at making some noise during the season. Kinziger is a quick guard with slick ball handling skills and excellent catch-and-shoot abilities on the court.

The Wisconsin Badgers are considerably stacked at guard heading into the upcoming season and making an impact at guard can be particularly difficult. The upside for Kinziger and the potential route to the court for the guard involves his impressive three-level scoring prowess that could come in handy should the Badgers struggle on offense during the season.

Wisconsin Badgers Impact Freshman: Guard Hayden Jones (International)

The Wisconsin Badgers connection to New Zealand has been steadily growing and Jones is part of a guard duo that could bring extra chemistry to Madison. Jones and fellow New Zealand guard Jackson Ball will take over Wisconsin in the future, but Jones gets an early chance at doing so.

On the court, Jones is a capable outside scorer who possesses a great combination of maturity and awareness which could be the result of playing against professional level talent. The guard knows when to pass, when to score, and when to slow down the tempo, which are all aspects of the game that come with time. The overall play of Jones reeks of experience and that experience could be a reason why Jones finds himself on the court for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Badgers Impact Freshman: Forward Aleksas Bieliauskas (International)

The Wisconsin Badgers staff, with coach Greg Gard being the driving force, have begun to expand international operations given the changing landscape of college basketball. The expansion brought the staff all the way to Lithuania, where Bieliauskas slowly became a problem at the developmental level of professional basketball. In the NKL, the forward averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting a notable 39.3% from three-point range.

Gard spoke directly to the media regarding the commitment and signing of Bieliauskas, who had also been pursued by Kansas, and praised his experience and length. The forward fits the ideal mold for Wisconsin with a combination of height, shot blocking prowess, agility, and dangerous outside shooting skills.