Wisconsin is still hunting for one more piece, and the Badgers have made the target pretty clear: they want a big man. Greg Gard has said as much, and Wisconsin has already sent assistants Lance Randall and Joe Krabbenhoft overseas to the FIBA tournaments to look at frontcourt options.
There is one other path, though, and it comes with a lot more uncertainty. Braeden Carrington could return if he gets approved for a fifth year. It’s not the cleanest fit for the “big man” wish list, but Wisconsin basketball general manager Marc VandeWettering said the staff is watching the lawsuit and has a plan if Carrington is cleared.
With that in mind, here are four names that sit somewhere on the spectrum between realistic and wildly speculative.
Braeden Carrington is probably the most familiar possibility, but he may also be one of the least likely. The NCAA announced today that it will not be changing the 5-in-5 rule, and that any adjustment would only apply going forward.
That means seniors who already graduated are out of luck. The lawsuit is still alive, though, so there remains a chance Carrington could still get that extra year.
Nikola Bundalo is the more interesting overseas name. The 6'11 forward has shown up at FIBA U20, and while a lot of the known players there are already committed, Bundalo has not made the jump to the NCAA yet.
He has the kind of profile Wisconsin could use: a big who can protect the rim and stretch the floor. LayUp Hoops reported, "Massive interest is brewing among High-Major and Power 4 programs-more details on his recruitment coming soon!"
Bundalo’s recent stat line also jumps off the page: 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 27 minutes. LayUp Hoops described him as coach Nemanja’s "joker" at Eurobasket, saying he has been a versatile power forward who consistently lifts the team’s play.
David Okwera is another name worth filing under intriguing but unlikely. He’s a productive big in the NBL and has played against Owen Foxwell and Jackson Ball.
The comparison to Foxwell matters here because Okwera is in the same age range and could follow a similar route. Like Foxwell, he would only have one year of eligibility, and the word is that he is exploring the NCAA option.
If Okwera does decide to make the move, Wisconsin may have to spend more than it planned. BYU is also said to be interested, and that program has a reputation for jumping into bidding wars when it decides a player is a priority.
Then there’s Keyshawn Hall, who is the biggest name on the board and probably the longest shot for Wisconsin. He averaged 19.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season at Auburn, but his college path has already run through UNLV, George Mason, UCF, and Auburn. That adds up to four seasons, though he just won a lawsuit in Ohio that gives him one more year.
Hall is still dealing with the NCAA trying to block him from playing, so the situation remains messy. Even so, he is an available big in the market, which is enough to put him in the conversation for Wisconsin, even if the Badgers are not likely to be seriously involved.
In Other News...
Badgers Suddenly Have A Real Concern About Owen Foxwell
The Badgers have spent the early stretch of the season sorting out roles, minutes and the usual college basketball growing pains, but Owen Foxwell has suddenly become part of a very different kind of conversation. The 23-year-old guard is now caught up in a new eligibility wrinkle involving NCAA rules and NBA draft mechanics, a rare overlap that can create complications for players with overseas backgrounds.
What makes the situation worth watching from Wisconsins side is not just the paperwork, but the possibility that it could affect Foxwells availability while the season is still going. The rule combination is unusual enough to keep the door open, even if the chance of anything dramatic is considered slim, and it gives the Badgers one more roster issue to monitor as they move through the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Jon Kamara Could Unlock Something Different In Wisconsin's Defense
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Kamara is not walking into an easy path for snaps, but he is already viewed as an important piece of the defensive plan and a key backup behind Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano. If he settles into that package role the way Wisconsin hopes, the Badgers could get a bigger front without giving up coverage or pressure ability, which is exactly the kind of optionality that can matter once the season starts to tighten up. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Has Wisconsin On Verge Of Another 2028 Recruiting Win
Wisconsins 2028 recruiting class could be getting another early boost, this time up front. Brock Barrows, a three-star offensive lineman from Lees Summit West in Missouri, has become a name to watch after drawing interest from several programs and showing enough pull toward Madison to put the Badgers in a strong position.
If Barrows follows through, he would join linebacker Cale Britt as the second commitment in the class and give Luke Fickell another building block in a cycle that already has Wisconsin sitting near the top of the early national picture. For a program trying to stack talent well before signing day becomes a real conversation, landing an offensive lineman this early would be another sign the Badgers are making themselves a serious factor with 2028 prospects. [Read more 🡒]