The Wisconsin Badgers are getting back to work this summer, and the first thing to notice about this roster is how different it looks. Several rotation pieces are gone, but Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp remain in the frontcourt, giving Greg Gard a starting point as the group starts to come together ahead of the season.
The transfer additions bring a clear mix of skills. Owen Foxwell, an Australian point guard who spent the last two years in the NBL, arrives to fill the spot left by Nick Boyd. Wisconsin is counting on him to bring playmaking and defense to a team that needs more of both in 2026.
In the backcourt, George Washington transfer Trey Autry looks like another clean fit. He shot better than 38 percent from three last season and averaged double figures, giving the Badgers a wing who can stretch the floor. His game has a familiar feel to it, too, with a profile similar to Braeden Carrington last year as a three-and-D option Gard can run plenty of actions through.
The most intriguing portal pickup might be Miami (OH) wing Eian Elmer. He entered and then withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft, and he showed real efficiency last season, averaging 12.7 points per game while hitting nearly 50 percent of his shots and 43 percent of his threes for a Top 25 team.
Still, the frontcourt could end up driving a lot of the scoring. Winter may be ready for a larger offensive role, and Rapp looks set for the biggest leap after finishing last season strong.
So who leads Wisconsin in scoring this year? A Reacts poll from last week offered a split answer.
Elmer got 38 percent of the vote, while Winter was right behind at 36 percent. That makes sense given the numbers: Elmer averaged 12.7 points per game at Miami (OH), and Winter led the returning group with 13.1 points a night for Wisconsin.
The Badgers have shown they can develop wings, with AJ Storr, John Tonje and John Blackwell all serving as examples. Elmer could be next in that line. But whichever way the scoring race breaks, Wisconsin appears to have more than one dependable option.
In Other News...
Jim Leonhard Faces A Defining NFL Test Badgers Fans Will Watch Closely
Jim Leonhards next stop comes with no shortage of scrutiny, and it is the kind of assignment that will be followed closely in Wisconsin as much as in Buffalo. After previous stops with the Denver Broncos, Leonhard is stepping into a defensive coordinator role under new head coach Joe Brady, taking over a unit that is expected to look different from the one Sean McDermott built and coached for years.
The biggest question is how quickly he can reshape the Bills without creating too much friction for the players already in place. A move away from McDermotts familiar 4-3 approach toward a 3-4 base would change responsibilities for returning defenders, and names like Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford and Ed Oliver could all be asked to fit new body types and new roles. ESPNs Ben Solak went so far as to call Leonhards situation the toughest task of any defensive coach this offseason, which only adds to the pressure on a coach Badgers fans know well. [Read more 🡒]
Barry Alvarezs Reaction To Wisconsins New AD Will Turn Heads
Shawn Eichorsts return to Wisconsin as the schools new athletic director brings an immediate dose of familiarity to a job that always carries plenty of scrutiny. He replaces Chris McIntosh, and the hire has already drawn attention because Eichorst is not a stranger to the Badgers, having previously worked in the department and later built out his rsum with stops elsewhere in college athletics.
Barry Alvarezs public backing gives the move an extra layer of intrigue, especially for a fan base that remembers how much sway he still carries around the program. Alvarez pointed to Eichorsts Wisconsin roots and his experience at Texas while framing the broader arc of his career as one that has included lessons learned along the way, making this one of those hires where the reaction from inside the building may matter just as much as the rsum itself. [Read more 🡒]