Former Wisconsin Badgers star traded to Milwaukee Bucks at NBA trade deadline

A former Badgers standout is returning to the state of Wisconsin for the tail end of the 2025-26 NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks after a trade from the Suns.

Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Nigel Hayes-Davis (21) against the Sacramento Kings at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Nigel Hayes-Davis made a surprising move back to the United States ahead of the NBA's 2025-26 season, signing a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Hayes-Davis, who had been playing overseas since 2018. He set the EuroLeague scoring record in March 2024 and won the EuroLeague Finals MVP in 2025.

In a trade deadline deal, the former Badgers star will return to the state of Wisconsin to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to the Phoenix Suns for Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

Badgers icon Nigel-Hayes Davis headed back to Wisconsin to play for Milwaukee Bucks

Hayes-Davis played in 27 games with the Suns before Thursday's trade, averaging 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds across 7.2 minutes.

While the move to Milwaukee may not result in more playing time for Hayes-Davis, he'll have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation while Giannis Antetokounmpo is sidelined with a calf injury.

When Hayes-Davis makes his Bucks debut in Milwaukee, it'll be his first game in the state of Wisconsin since March 3, 2017, when he and the Badgers defeated Minnesota 66-49 at the Kohl Center.

He joins fellow Badgers' legend Johnny Davis in the Bucks' organization, though Davis plays in Oshkosh with the Bucks' G League team.

In Hayes-Davis's four seasons at Wisconsin, he started in 112 of his 150 games played and ranks third in the program's all tie scoring list with 1,857 points.

Nigel Hayes was a College Basketball LEGEND at Wisconsin! He tore it up at Purdue in 2016!

30 PTS
8 REB
3 AST
1 STL

Where's my Badger fans at? 🔴⚪️🦡 pic.twitter.com/fzKa7VBzk3

— College Performances (@ncaatapes) January 7, 2026

He was part of the Badgers' Final Four and National Championship teams in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and he stuck around for the Badgers' transition from Bo Ryan to Greg Gard in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

The 6-foot-8 forward from Toledo, Ohio made an All-Big Ten Team three times, and he won the Big Ten Sixth Man of the year award as a freshman in 2014.

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