Wisconsin’s open practice earlier this week left plenty of room for different takeaways, but one theme kept surfacing: sophomore forward Will Garlock and sophomore guard Zach Kinziger both looked like players ready to take a real step forward.
That kind of second-year jump is hardly a surprise in college basketball, but it felt especially noticeable with these two. Both flashed in limited minutes as freshmen.
Both showed enough talent to hint at more. And both also looked like players who were still adjusting to how fast and physical the college game can be.
Garlock’s case is the more eye-catching one because the tools have always been obvious. From the moment he arrived at Wisconsin, he stood out as a big man with uncommon athletic gifts.
The problem last season was that those gifts didn’t always translate cleanly once the games started. He looked rushed when handling the ball, and that led to sloppy turnovers.
On the defensive end, he struggled to control his body in physical play, which put him in foul trouble.
Now, though, the conversation around Garlock sounds different. The footwork is still there.
The ball skills are still there. The athleticism still jumps off the page.
But he also appears to have added weight, and with a year in the program behind him, he seems to have a much better feel for how to make his size and skill matter at this level.
Kinziger’s path has been a little different, but the overall arc feels familiar. Coming out of Wisconsin high school hoops, his offensive talent was obvious to anyone paying attention.
He brought that ability with him to Madison, but it didn’t translate into an immediate, steady role. Greg Gard didn’t trust him enough to give him consistent minutes right away, and when the opportunity finally came, the results were uneven.
As a freshman, Kinziger never quite found his place. He didn’t have Garlock’s turnover issues, but he also didn’t look especially confident or aggressive when he was on the floor. That made him close to a nonfactor offensively.
This offseason, though, the backup guard spot has opened up, and Kinziger has done more than just enter the conversation. Based on what was seen at practice, he has all but claimed that role. The offensive pop that made him such a touted high school player seems to be back, and he’s added more to the package as a point-of-attack defender while sharpening his playmaking.
There will still be growing pains for both players as their roles expand. But after what Wisconsin showed in open practice, Garlock and Kinziger both look like names worth circling in Madison.
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