Wisconsin’s first open practice of the summer offered an early look at a roster that looks very different from the one the Badgers rolled out a year ago. With eight newcomers mixed in alongside the returners, the first workout gave 247Sports’ Payne Blazevich a chance to see how the pieces are starting to fit.
The biggest theme was defense. That makes sense given Wisconsin’s offseason push to raise that side of the floor after it “wasn’t at its usual level in 2025.” The opening session leaned heavily on defensive rotations and ball movement, with the Badgers spending time battling in the paint and out on the perimeter.
Blazevich noted that new point guard Owen Foxwell looked calm with the ball, finding open shooters and even knocking down a 3-pointer while under pressure. Hayden Jones also had a hand in the action, drilling a contested triple before setting up Victory Onuetu for an alley-oop. On the other end, Jones, Jack Janicki, Trey Autry, and Eian Elmer were all active in pressuring the ball, while Onuetu delivered a block at the rim and Will Garlock fought down a rebound.
The newcomers made their presence felt beyond just the defensive work. Elmer, in particular, stood out during live action.
Blazevich described him as flying up and down the floor and competing hard on both ends, with a corner 3, multiple strong drives, and a lay-up through contact after taking a hard fall. He also battled through contact defensively and came away with a takeaway near the sideline.
Foxwell showed off more than just composure. He created for others by threading a pass to Autry for a rhythm 3 and then feeding Isaac Riddle for a dunk.
He also scored for himself, splitting the defense for a fast-break lay-in. Onuetu’s size and strength showed up in the rebounding game, and Garlock looked “at his strongest and most in control,” highlighted by a tough finish through contact.
There were the usual summer-practice hiccups, too. Turnovers showed up, and the offense had some sloppy stretches. But the ball was moving quickly, and the pace suggested Wisconsin wants to keep playing fast after posting its fastest tempo under Greg Gard in 2025.
The Badgers are still a work in progress, and there’s plenty of summer left. But on this first look, a few new faces already made a strong impression.
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