Five players the Wisconsin Badgers must retain for the 2026-27 season

The University of Wisconsin has been thrust into the offseason quicker than it anticipated.

The Badgers felt they had a team that was ascending at the right time, winning 15 of their last 20 games and coming off a successful Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin led by 10 points in the first half of their NCAA Tournament opener, eight points with less than seven minutes remaining, and four points entering the final minute.

The Badgers couldn't close the door, however, suffering breakdowns on both ends of the floor in the final minute in an 83-82 loss to 12th-seeded High Point.

In a year where 13 of 32 first-round games were decided by 20+ points, the Badgers became the highest seed to not advance to the Round of 32.

“This sucks,” head coach Greg Gard told reporters after the game. “I wanted to make a run to a Final Four. It creates great drama and great viewership, but it’s a (expletive) ending in terms of how this group has grown. This group deserved to go further. They were good enough to go further.”

It was over too soon for Wisconsin senior Nick Boyd, but that doesn't make the #Badgers star point guard any less grateful for what he experienced in his one season in Madison. https://t.co/IP87l0LzNB
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 19, 2026

Instead of preparing for the program's first Sweet 16 in nine years, the Badgers now fully turn their attention to assembling their 2026-27 roster, something Wisconsin general manager Marc VandeWettering has been working on since the summer.

While UW will likely be active when the transfer portal officially opens on April 7, the Badgers will spend the next two weeks formalizing who is returning to their current roster.

UW got some good news in the aftermath of the loss, with junior forward Austin Rapp saying he's coming back. After a slow start to the season while adjusting to the rigors of high-major basketball, Rapp had a strong ending to the season and improved his physicality with his low-post scoring and rebounding. He finished the season averaging 9.7 points per game, shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from 3-point range.

“This wasn’t a one-year thing for me,” Rapp told the Journal Sentinel. “This is a couple-year thing. I want to be here, and I love this group. I love the staff. I love the support staff. … It’s kind of a family away from home in a sense.”

Not including Rapp, here are five players Wisconsin must retain moving into next season.

Leaving Portland and one lasting image is Nick Boyd hugging Greg Gard and saying I’m sorry. Great shot by Robby Newell. The NCAA tournament can be heart-wrenching. Thanks for watching our @CBS58 coverage as we commit to travel and storytelling no matter the results #Badgers pic.twitter.com/Hm2r88CdCF
— Lance Allan (@lanceallan) March 20, 2026

1, Senior guard John Blackwell

While point guard Nick Boyd was the vocal star, Blackwell was the quiet leader. His decision to go through the NBA Draft process before returning to school helped improve his game. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, was named to the conference's all-tournament team, and was the ninth Big Ten player since 2000 to average at least 19 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg, and 1 spg.

Although slashing .430/.389/.859, Blackwell wasn’t consistent. He spent most of December and early January struggling on both ends of the floor, as well as a mini slide in late February. He was despondent after Thursday's loss when he finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds but went 1-for-7 with five turnovers in the second half.

"Honestly, this is one of the hardest years of my life mentally," Blackwell said in the locker room. "These guys took me in and just kept picking me up. I went through a lot. My coaches and everybody just looked out for me. I can't be more thankful for them, and that's why I wanted to win so bad with this team because of all we been through."

Blackwell is considered a fringe NBA prospect and is currently listed as the 65th-best available player in ESPN's rankings. When going through the NBA Draft process last offseason, he remained loyal to Wisconsin and declined to listen to significant NIL offers from other schools. Will this offseason play out the same, or will his loyalty to Gard and Wisconsin have a price, especially after a third-straight first-weekend knockout?

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) shoots against the High Point Panthers during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

2, Senior center Nolan Winter

Finishing third on the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and UW's leading rebounder (8.5), Winter became only the third Badger since 2000 to have 10+ double-doubles in a single season (12), joining All-Americans Ethan Happ and Frank Kaminsky. Winter shot 70.1 percent on two-point shots, becoming the first Big Ten player to shoot 70 percent from two since the 1986-87 season.

Winter suffered a nasty-looking left ankle sprain on March 4 that cost him four games and limited him in Thursday's NCAA Tournament loss.

Rated two spots behind Blackwell in ESPN's draft rankings, Winter stated after the game that he wants to be back in Madison. Odds are likely that he will be, but there are few guarantees in the portal era.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers forward Owen Aquino (8) drivels against Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleksas Bieliauskas (32) during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

3, Sophomore forward Aleksas Bieliauskas

Needing time to adjust to American basketball after playing professionally in Europe, few players took bigger advantage of Winter's absence down the stretch than Bieliauskas. He had 16 points in a win at No.15 Purdue and back-to-back nine-rebound games in the conference tournament. His career high 17 points at No. 2 Michigan (5-for-10 3FG) 1/10/26) helped Wisconsin register one of the biggest wins of the season.

Wisconsin played its best on Thursday with Bieliauskas, as the Badgers were plus-13 with him on the floor (plus-six in the second half). A late arrival to campus last season, Bieliauskas could use a full season in a college weight room to build his physicality and confidence.

Wisconsin guard Hayden Jones (13) drives on Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11). — Wisconsin guard Hayden Jones (13) drives on Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) during the second half of their semifinal game in the Big Ten tournament Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Michigan beat Wisconsin 68-65. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4, Sophomore guard Hayden Jones

The 18-year-old New Zealander spent the season at the back end of Wisconsin's rotation and finished with modest numbers, averaging 1.7 points and 7.2 minutes per game in 27 appearances. The staff thinks highly of him, as evidenced by starting him in place of Blackwell against Central Michigan. He shows an ability to create shots for himself off the dribble and his movement off the ball.

He was on the floor for nearly 25 minutes in UW's three Big Ten tournament games after earning 80 total minutes against Big Ten teams in the regular season. The Badgers are likely to add at least one veteran guard in the offseason, but there is a pathway for Jones to earn more minutes. With Wisconsin bringing Jones' former teammate, Jackson Ball, this upcoming offseason, the staff is hopeful the duo will develop into an explosive combination.

Wisconsin Badgers forward Will Garlock (23) defends Penn State Nittany Lions guard Melih Tunca (9). — Jan 22, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Will Garlock (23) defends Penn State Nittany Lions guard Melih Tunca (9) during the first half at Rec Hall. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

5, Sophomore center Will Garlock

Wisconsin hasn't had a true rim protector in several recruiting cycles and believes Garlock can be that player. Like Jones, Garlock's numbers were modest in his first season (1.1 points in 6.7 minutes), but he showcased his ability to score around the rim (72.2 FG on twos) and find his teammates (20 assists). His five blocks and 42 fouls show his room to grow, but it's not often the Badgers find a 7-0 in-state prospect with above-average footwork.