Badger Basketball Exit Meetings: Is the Jack Janicki breakthrough finally on the horizon?

An analysis of the season cut short for the former walk-on

Jan 10, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (5) celebrate after defeating the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Jack Janicki became a regular presence in the rotation in 2025-26, and he’s slotted for a similar, but expanded role in 2026-27. He has showcased the ability to blow up opposing offenses and be a vocal leader to impact games, but Badger fans are still waiting on the offensive impact to follow suit.

The headline of his year was the season-ending wrist injury, but there was still plenty of tape that highlighted his defensive abilities and room for continued growth. Ahead of a crucial offseason for the former walk-on, here is an assessment of his 2025-26 season.

2025-26 stats (16.5 minutes per game)

2.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 SPG | 32.3% FG, 27.7% 3-pt, 60% FT

2025-26 High

It was a roller coaster of a season for Janicki, which ended with him sidelined for the final month after breaking his wrist at Ohio State on Feb. 17. The minutes certainly saw an uptick from 2024-25, but the production remained about the same.

His twitchiness helped generate some steals throughout the year, but to me, what felt like the peak of the season was his playmaking clinic against Central Michigan on Dec. 22. He started his nine-assist night with a steal and feed to a trailing Austin Rapp for a 3-pointer. The dime to Rapp wasn’t his only assist in transition, as he also assisted a fancy finish from Hayden Jones in the second half. 

Gard knows that Janicki can be a guy who jumpstarts possessions with his defensive intuition, but what stood out to me was his activity when Central Michigan went to a zone in the second half. With John Blackwell out, Wisconsin needed someone to be an offensive hub in the high post against the zone, and Janicki stepped up.

A few times, he flashed hard to the free-throw line, received a pass and made quick reads to hit open shooters, generating great looks against a zone, something we saw the Badgers struggle with on occasion. His ability to provide an offensive spark in the half court was an encouraging sign of growth, and something he needs to do to be more impactful in 2026-27.

Nov 27, 2025; San Diego, CA, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (5) looks to pass the ball against the Providence Friars during the second half at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

2025-26 Low

It takes one look at the shooting splits to know where Janicki struggled most in 2025-26. He got into foul trouble some games, but that’s not my big concern with his game. He wasn’t a guy who was closing games anyways, and is a twitchy defender that gambles for steals, which you can live with as long as it’s not making him a net negative on that end. 

Simply put, he needs to provide more offensively to grow into a truly impactful player. His defensive playmaking can provide Wisconsin a jolt of energy when things aren’t going well, but the next step to being an impact guard is consistently contributing offensively. 

The athleticism is there, that’s no secret, and we’ve seen it on display defensively. To take that next step, using that athleticism to become a downhill driver would open up his playmaking capabilities, And obviously, the most important thing for Janicki is finding the shooting stroke we know he has, and establishing a rhythm to shoot at a higher clip next season.

Final season grade: C-

It’s no secret that it wasn’t the season Janicki hoped for. Luckily for the Badgers, Braeden Carrington emerged as one of the better bench pieces in the league to pick up some of the slack. Janicki only had one game with multiple turnovers, but the lack of offensive impact was apparent. Granted, he still made plays defensively, and that part of his game was more than serviceable. But overall, after 2024-25 where he had a chance to gain some experience, people expected to see growth on the offensive end, and were left waiting on those strides to become apparent. 

Dec 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (5) drives for the basket against Villanova Wildcats guard Tyler Perkins (4) first half at the Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

What’s next?

Getting healthy is the first step in Janicki’s offseason. He was nearing a return prior to Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament defeat, but it’s critical that his wrist doesn’t become a lingering issue. As of now, it seems that the two-guard spot remains the only obvious question mark in Wisconsin’s starting five for 2026-27. It’s very possible Trey Autry slots into that spot, but regardless, Janicki’s role will be larger than it was last season. 

You don’t see the court as a walk-on redshirt freshman for a team that earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as he did in 2024-25, if you can’t be impactful. Now, it’s about finding a rhythm from deep, and continuing to wreak havoc defensively. The physical tools and instincts are there, if he can take the strides we’ve seen others take in this system, he can grow into that glue-guy mold Wisconsin will desperately need in 2026-27.