Greg Gard shares why John Blackwell is primed for big leap in Year 3 with Wisconsin Badgers

Greg Gard has seen the work John Blackwell put in this offseason and thinks he's ready to lead the charge for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Dec 9, 2023; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) talks to Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during the second half at McKale Center. | Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers are John Blackwell's team now.

He rode in the sidecar for John Tonje's breakout season last year, but now its his turn to take the wheel and make big strides in Year 3.

Greg Gard has seen the work Blackwell put in this offseason and thinks he's ready to lead the charge.

"You can see he’s bigger physically, he’s leaner, he’s really trimmed up," Gard told reporters Friday. "And he’s come with a more dominant mentality. As you can see when we play, he has the ability to take over and really dominate games."

Blackwell averaged nearly 16 points per game last season on 45 percent shooting, but expectations will be even higher as the face of the team..

Gard brought in some more help for him in the transfer portal with guards Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde, who can take some of the ball-handling responsibilities off of Blackwell's plate.

He has looked more natural in an off-ball role, and it could give the junior more freedom to work as a scorer.

Blackwell is also looking to be more consistent on defense and show NBA scouts he's a well-rounded threat worthy of playing at the next level.

It sounds like the work he's put in this offseason will be a great first step.

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