How an Uber ride and an empty gym gave Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd a lifelong friend

There's never too much basketball for a hoops junkie like Nick Boyd.

The University of Wisconsin senior is full throttle at every practice and every game, so much so that the NCAA-mandated practice time isn't always enough for him to get mentally prepared for competition.

He got an idea while traveling for road games last season, playing for San Diego State. He grabbed a manager and an Uber to a local gym to get some shots, ensuring his mechanics and game were up to his standards.

"I've always done that my whole life, but especially last year," Boyd said. "I wanted to keep that going. It makes me feel ready."

As the fifth-seeded Badgers prepare to play 12th-seed High Point tomorrow afternoon in the NCAA Tournament first round at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., Boyd is focused on how he can match wits with one of the highest-scoring teams in the tournament.

That job of finding Boyd's gym has fallen on the shoulders of Isaac Wodajo, who has become more than a rebounder for one of the Badgers' most important pieces.

"He's somebody I became close with," Boyd said. "I asked if he was willing to go, and he said yeah. We've been doing it ever since."

Kylan Boswell tried to send a message to Nick Boyd after forcing an early turnover. It ended up backfiring, as Boyd and John Blackwell took the game over to lead the #Badgers into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals over Illinois.https://t.co/p0uFNJbU4G
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 14, 2026

Cut from the same cloth

Wodajo and the Wisconsin staff wanted to make a good impression during Boyd's visit. The Badgers were badly in need of a point guard following the 2025 season, wanting to move junior John Blackwell to his more natural off-ball position. As Wisconsin's Director of Recruiting and Scouting, Wodajo knew that Boyd was the best on the market. Not only was he a multi-tooled player, but Boyd was also a sixth-year senior with NCAA Tournament and Final Four experience.

He also liked the kid because Boyd reminded him of himself.

"In this nature of college basketball of how guys transfer, with me being at Texas, then going to junior college, Northern Kentucky, and then Wisconsin, his path of Florida Atlantic to San Diego State to here, it's very similar in that way," Wodajo said. "We could talk about those experiences, the head coaches he played for, and the head coaches that I worked for. Those similarities are something we can harken back to."

Wodajo and assistant coach Sharif Chambliss served as hosts to Boyd and his family. They hit the checklist things with tours of the campus and facilities, meeting with returning players, and fancy dinners, but Boyd was different than a lot of other wide-eyed high school prospects.

His age and experience afforded him the knowledge of the ins and outs of programs and what he was and wasn't looking for. As Boyd went on other visits, he would shoot off texts to Wodajo with in-depth questions about Wisconsin and the school.

That's when Wodajo felt good about Boyd coming to Wisconsin, and their similar paths to high-major basketball were why Boyd trusted Wodajo to give him straight answers.

"He's someone I feel close with," Boyd said. "It's friendship. It's not really about basketball, just two people who enjoy each other's company and have a genuine relationship. He's probably a guy who I am going to speak to for the rest of my life, so it's great to build that bond. It's a relationship I cherish."

Their routine varies depending on travel schedule, team shootaround times, and other requirements, but Boyd relies on Wodajo to find the gym. It's usually located near the team hotel, and their workouts can range from 30 minutes to an hour. While getting shots up the night before the game is optional, it's a requirement to go on gameday. Before Wisconsin’s win over Washington in the Big Ten Tournament, Boyd said he got up at 7:10, was at the gym by 7:30, and back in the Uber by 8:05.

"He's like a junior college player," Wodajo said. "Those guys are grinding and fighting to get to this level, but he keeps that chip on his shoulder like he hasn't made it yet. This team needed that spark for sure."

This Nick Boyd @BadgerMBB reverse in transition vs. two long shot-blockers 😲#B1GMBBT on CBS 📺 pic.twitter.com/pRatPWfNfi
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 14, 2026

Just Need One

Sitting between forward Austin Rapp and center Nolan Winter on the dais, Boyd looked disappointed and defiant. Wisconsin had just lost 89-73 to No.5 Purdue, a third uncompetitive performance against a ranked team with Blackwell slumping his way to a fourth straight game, unable to shoot better than 40 percent.

Blackwell wasn't made available to reporters, so Boyd was asked what he could do to help get UW's star guard back on track. He praised Blackwell's leadership and approach, but told those in the room that the Badgers "just had to get one" and "this team is going to get rolling" once they could get a win under their belt.

"It started in the UCLA game," Wodajo said. "Guys knew they had each other's backs."

Starting with an eight-point win over the Bruins three days later, the Badgers won 13 of their final 17 games. UW had four top-10 wins over that stretch, matching a program record, and six double-digit comeback wins.

Boyd and Blackwell have been behind a lot of the success, as the duo entered the NCAA Tournament as the only pair to each average over 19.0 points per game. In the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals, Boyd (38 points) and Blackwell (31) became the first Badgers to have at least 30 in a single game since 1968.

UW is third in the NCAA in offensive efficiency since January 1 (according to BartTorvik.com), and Boyd has been the engine driving the offense. He has scored in double figures in every game, and has 21 20-point games, the most by a UW player in 30 years.

He's been overlooked nationally, snubbed from First-Team All-Big Ten or being named an Associated Press All-American, but he's played his best against the best competition. In seven games against top-10 opponents, Boyd is averaging 24.0 ppg.

"Nick's a real one," head coach Greg Gard said. "He's intense. He's into it. He's sharp. The best ones that I've had are internally motivated. His motor burns pretty hot every day."

One-Of-One

Wodajo knows these moments are fleeting. The Final Four will be over within the next three weeks, and the transfer portal will be open. Boyd will be preparing for a professional career, likely taking his energy and flair internationally, while Wodajo will be scouring the portal for, among other things, a starting point guard for a third straight season.

He'll try to find another Nick Boyd, an extremely competitive point guard who played with a burning fire and his heart on his sleeve, someone who can bring that fight to every workout, practice, and game.

It'll be a near-impossible task, but that's a thought for an Uber ride on another day.

"Hopefully, we can find another similar player like that," Wodajo said. "But the way he is at Wisconsin, his energy, his fight, the way he gets the crowd into it, how fast he is up and down the court with the ball, there's not another player like him. He was a gem we found in the portal."