Why Badgers basketball stars believe Wisconsin offense will be even more lethal this year

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Wisconsin Badgers announced themselves as an offensive power last season.

They finished 13th in offensive efficiency, according to Kenpom, the program's best ranking since the 2014-15 National Championship runner-up squad.

Wisconsin didn't just punish defenses with efficiency. They pummeled them with volume. The Badgers set a school record in points scored in a season, while also finishing with the most three-point makes and three-point attempts.

Yet, juniors Nolan Winter and John Blackwell said Thursday at Big Ten Media Day that Wisconsin might be even better this year.

Transfer additions make Wisconsin's offense even stronger

Two of the fundamental chances to Wisconsin's offense under Kirk Penney were playing faster and shooting more threes — a more modern offensive approach.

Wisconsin has leaned into the changes with their offseason acquisitions through the transfer portal, specifically by landing senior point guard Nick Boyd and sophomore power forward Austin Rapp.

"It's a lot like last year's [offense], but I'd say it's even faster, more firepower, more fun the play," Winter said. "When Nick Boyd gets the ball, whether it's a made basket or a miss, he's out of there. He's pushing it, and it's pushing other guys to run harder too."

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One of those guys being pushed up the court is Rapp, a Portland transfer who attempted the most threes per game by any player 6-foot-9 nine or taller in the country last season.

Blackwell lauded Rapp Thursday for his ability to find space and move to the right spots while in transition. After knocking down 83 three-pointers as a freshman, Rapp certainly has the capability to connect on those transition looks.

This makes me think of one thing: Wisconsin got a steal in Portland transfer Austin Rapp. 6-10 F made 83 three-point shots last season. A name to monitor in Madison. pic.twitter.com/MSBJkJ2aYy
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 15, 2025

Between Boyd, Blackwell, Rapp, Winter and projected small forward Andrew Rohde, Wisconsin's starting lineup is comprised of five strong three-point shooters. Rapp and Winter in particular are excellent shooters for their position.

"We're going to shoot a lot more threes this year, which is a good thing," Blackwell said bluntly. "It's more points."

But it's not just shooting threes to chuck them up; it's finding and taking the right shot. It just so happens that Wisconsin expects many of those attempts to be from beyond the arc.

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Wisconsin will have a wealth of playmakers on the perimeter. Blackwell served as the team's starting point guard last year and will be flanked by players with significant experience at the position in Boyd and Rohde.

When you add a faster pace, better three-point shooting and increased passing abilities, it becomes clear why Blackwell and Winter are so bullish on the Badgers 2025-26 offense.

“This team has a lot of firepower.”#Badgers x #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/kHjK2MRhAh
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) October 9, 2025

"I think any given night, anyone can go for 30, 40 [points]," Winter said. "This team's got a lot of firepower and it will be fun to watch."

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