Brad Davison has used a blank slate to impact Wisconsin basketball in multiple ways

MADISON, Wis. - Decreased roster sizes and a scout team full of young guards were going to be slightly problematic for the University of Wisconsin in finding someone who could really push point guard Nick Boyd on a daily basis.

A veteran point guard with five years and 119 games of experience, Boyd needed someone to get him ready for the physicality of the Big Ten. Imagine his surprise and excitement when he arrived at practice to see former all-conference guard Brad Davison in workout gear and ready to guard him full court.

"I was like, OK, I like his energy," Boyd told the Big Ten Network. "His energy was contagious. I was familiar with Brad's game. I watched a lot of games where he was just flying around, hyping the crowd up, something I love to do, and just his tenacity and his grittiness."

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard (left) and Wisconsin Badgers guard Brad Davison take in the festivities. — Mar 1, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard (left) and Wisconsin Badgers guard Brad Davison take in the festivities during the post-game celebration after the Badgers defeated Purdue 70-67 at the Kohl Center. | Mary Langenfeld-Imagn Images

Hired to fill Kirk Penney's role as special assistant to the head coach at the end of September, Davison hasn't been asked to be the offensive technical wizard that his predecessor was. Penney's two years on the UW coaching staff is largely responsible for remaking the offense, playing with a faster tempo and utilizing more ball-screen actions to pressure teams at the rim and from the perimeter.

Head coach Greg Gard essentially hired Davison to be like the player he recruited out of Minnesota, who did a little bit of everything to make an impact.

"Coach gave me a blank canvas," Davison said on BTN's The Journey. "He wanted me to be involved in just about anything, find my niche, and find ways to add value."

Those marching orders have allowed Davison to be in his element. He's helped develop scouting reports, mentored players who are and aren't in the rotation, and run the scout team in practice. Considering UW only has 14 players on its roster, it's not uncommon to see Davison exit practice with his Wisconsin workout gear drenched in sweat from running possessions.

It's also not a surprise to see Davison explode off the bench with excitement or coaching points during a game, looking like he could trade in his sports coat for a uniform after any given whistle.

"He's got a great mind for the game," Gard said. "He's mature beyond his 26 years of age in terms of understanding his role. His ability to communicate is outstanding. His best attribute is his ability to develop relationships. He can connect with anybody."

Davison took advantage of his COVID year to play five full seasons for Wisconsin and left as one of the school's most decorated players. He is one of five players in UW history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists, and holds the school record for most three-pointers made (300).

UW fans remember him for his passion and tenacity, including playing his true freshman season with a shoulder that consistently separated. Big Ten fans remember him differently.

Davison took some inadvertent fire over the weekend from Indiana fans after the Hoosiers' 78-77 overtime victory over Wisconsin at Assembly Hall, a game that included a wildly condemned charge call on Boyd in overtime that changed the complexion of the game.

Gard said after the game that he hadn't seen a call like that in all his years of coaching, someone drawing a charge moving away from the basket against a defender who was trying to foul.

That led Indiana fans to post old clips of Davison drawing charges, like the five charges he drew in a four-point victory over N.C. State in 2018, or when he drew a charge on an inbounds play that set up the winning free throw against Western Kentucky a year earlier, a play that the Hilltoppers athletic director ‘a disgrace.’

Great players make great plays. Smart players make smart plays.@braddavi34 takes a charge & hits a late free throw for the @BadgerMBB victory!! #Badgers pic.twitter.com/l7rtQCXGCl
— FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (@FanDuelSN_WI) December 14, 2017

It's a different game now, one that has tailored its rules more towards the offensive player than the defensive player, but one that still requires energy, heart, and determination. It's why Gard called Davison in late September.

"Brad's one of those guys who was born to coach," Gard said. "It was a matter of when, not if."

He's not far off. Growing up in a household with two older basketball-playing sisters and parents who were coaches, Davison admitted to sneaking over and sitting with his own clipboard in the section reserved for college coaches.

The clipboard wasn't on his mind after leaving Wisconsin. He had professional stints with Nevėžis Kėdainiai (Lithuania) in 2022-23, HLA Alicante (Spain) in 2023-24, and Obradoio (Spain) in 2024-25 campaign. His wife, former Indiana star Tyra Buss, was also playing professionally in Spain when Gard's phone call came in.

The answer for Davison was an obvious "yes," but with the caveat that HLA Alicante would release him from his contract with the season opener the next day.

Davison ended up starting and playing 17 minutes in the season opener on a Saturday, packed up the house on a Monday, boarded a plane back to Wisconsin on Tuesday, and was back at practice on Wednesday.

"If anybody's going to do that, it's going to be Brad Davison," Gard said.

Brad Davison is still in a whirlwind from quickly packing up his family and flying across the Atlantic to get to practice (the airline even lost half his luggage) but it’s been worth it #Badgers

“The dream and the goal was always to come back to the University of Wisconsin.” pic.twitter.com/HzTJ2Yukpv
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) October 2, 2025

Wisconsin could use some of Davison's toughness over the next week. After traveling to Illinois to face the nation's most efficient offense tomorrow, the Badgers host a physical Spartans team ranked fourth nationally in defensive efficiency on Friday.

A win in either game would give Wisconsin a second top-10 victory of the season, further cementing the Badgers' bid to next month's NCAA Tournament. A pair of losses wouldn't sink UW either, especially with three more Quad-1 games remaining in February.

It's part of the typical Big Ten grind, one that Davison loves being a part of again.

"I walk into the Kohl Center every day with a smile, and I leave every day with a smile," Davison said. "There's a lot of smiles in between."

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