Badgers Show Interest in Sharpshooting Transfer Portal Wing

Wisconsin basketball has lost three players to the transfer portal, and more could follow.

As it stands, the Badgers have six roster spots to fill, even with a three-man incoming freshman class that now includes the Australian and former LSU commit Owen Foxwell.

Thus, Wisconsin has plenty of work to do, roster-building wise. In what could be Greg Gard's most active transfer portal season yet, the Badgers are beginning to be linked to intriguing transfer portal prospects from around the country.

One of those prospects is former South Dakota Coyote Isaac Bruns.

Since entering the transfer portal, Isaac Bruns has heard from the following schools:

Iowa
Nebraska
Creighton
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Missouri
Iowa State
Kansas State
San Diego
Lipscomb
Murray State
LMU
George Washington
Lamar
San Fransico
Cal
High Point
Murray State
FAU pic.twitter.com/BcnQdI9rSH
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) April 10, 2026

Bruns, a 6-foot-5 wing, spent three years at South Dakota and is coming off easily his most productive campaign yet.

Bruns' stats speak for themselves

In 2025-26, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals. He also shot 39.2 percent from distance on 3.7 attempts per game — Bruns' long-range game and scoring acumen from the wing fit perfectly into the Badgers' new-look, high-octane offense.

Dig a little deeper into Bruns' stats, and there's even more to like. He proved himself against power conference competition last season, dropping 16, 14 and 19 points on Creighton, Missouri and Kansas State, respectively.

Another interesting nugget: Bruns isn't just a long-range shooter. He got to the lane pretty consistently, averaging 7.0 free-throws per game. That ability to get downhill should also be highly appealing for Wisconsin, considering it's losing John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, both of whom excelled in that area.

How could Bruns fit in Madison?

South Dakota Coyotes guard Isaac Bruns. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Of course, this is merely a list of teams who have contacted Bruns. Where he is on the Badgers' transfer portal big board — and what he thinks of Wisconsin — are both unknown. But if this comes down to a battle between a handful of the power conference schools listed above, Wisconsin could certainly have a shot.

Gard has proven year after year that he can take transfers from lower levels of the sport and help them thrive in Madison, especially athletic wings and backcourt players with a knack for getting a bucket. Bruns fits that description to a tee.

With Foxwell currently looking like the starting point guard in Madison in 2026-27, Bruns could theoretically slide in at the two or three spot. With Nolan Winter slated to return, and Austin Rapp trending in that direction as well, signing Bruns (or a player like him) could suddenly have the Badgers' starting five for next season rather solidified.