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How Former Wisconsin Basketball Players Fared in the 2025-26 Season

Checking in on how former Wisconsin basketball players performed with their new programs during the 2025-26 season.
Christian Borman|
Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) guards Mississippi Rebels guard AJ Storr (2) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) guards Mississippi Rebels guard AJ Storr (2) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The transfer portal has drastically changed the landscape of college basketball, and the Wisconsin Badgers are no exception. Over the last few years, several players who started their journeys in Madison, or made a brief pit stop there, have packed their bags for new opportunities.

With the 2025-26 college hoops season wrapping up, it’s a great time to check in on a few notable former Badgers to see how they performed in their new threads.

AJ Storr | Ole Miss Rebels

After spending his junior year at Kansas, Storr transferred down south to Ole Miss for his senior campaign, completing the 'four programs in four years' challenge, where he enjoyed a massive bounce-back year in the SEC.

The Stats: Storr played in all 35 games for the Rebels (15 starts) and led the team in scoring, averaging 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 44.8% from the floor.

The Impact: Storr brought his signature explosive scoring back to the forefront. He was an absolute menace in the 2026 SEC Tournament, averaging 19.5 points over four games, racking up 78 total points (the 10th-most in a single SEC Tournament), and earning a spot on the All-SEC Tournament Team.

Connor Essegian | Nebraska Cornhuskers

Essegian transferred to Nebraska ahead of the 2024-25 season and immediately carved out a fantastic role as a sixth man for the Huskers (averaging 10.7 points as a junior). Unfortunately, his 2025-26 senior campaign was derailed early.

The Stats: Essegian averaged 5.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game across seven early-season appearances.

The Impact: Essegian suffered a severe right ankle injury in the second half of a game against Winthrop on November 25, effectively shutting him down for the year. He is widely expected to pursue a medical redshirt, meaning we should see his lethal outside shooting back on the court for a 2026-27 swan song

Daniel Freitag | Buffalo Bulls

After playing a limited role off the bench for Wisconsin as a true freshman in 2024-25, the highly-touted Freitag hit the portal and transferred to Buffalo, looking for the keys to an offense. He certainly found them.

The Stats: Freitag exploded in the MAC, starting 22 games and averaging a staggering 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

The Impact: Operating as the focal point for the Bulls, Freitag showed exactly why he was such a coveted high school recruit, shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc and playing over 33 minutes a night.

Camren Hunter | Central Arkansas Bears

Hunter came to Wisconsin via the portal, but after logging just 11 appearances for the Badgers in 2024-25, he returned to his roots at Central Arkansas—and put together an absolute monster of a season.

The Stats: Hunter started 34 games for the Bears, averaging 21.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest.

The Impact: Not only did he post a career-high in scoring, but Hunter was also crowned the 2025-26 ASUN Player of the Year. In a March tournament game against Queens, he went nuclear for 49 points.

Gus Yalden | Vermont Catamounts

The "Gus Bus" has taken a winding road. After leaving Wisconsin for Seton Hall in 2024-25 (where he played sparingly), Yalden found his groove this season in the America East Conference with Vermont.

The Stats: Yalden started 30 games for the Catamounts, averaging 16.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting an incredibly efficient 50.7% from the floor.

The Impact: Given consistent minutes and a featured role in the post, Yalden flourished into an All-America East selection, reminding everyone of the elite footwork that made him a top-100 recruit.

Xavier Amos | Loyola Chicago Ramblers

Amos was a rotational piece for the Badgers last season, appearing in 37 games but playing fewer than 10 minutes a night. He transferred down to Chicago to play for Loyola in the A-10, sliding right into the starting lineup.

The Stats: Amos started 18 games for the Ramblers, averaging 11.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The Impact: Stepping into a heavier workload, Amos brought veteran Big Ten experience to the Ramblers' frontcourt and became a reliable double-digit scorer down the stretch.

Ross Candelino | Lipscomb Bisons

A popular former walk-on in Madison, the sharpshooting Candelino transferred to Lipscomb ahead of the 2024-25 season. After working his way into the rotation as a junior, he broke out as a senior this year.

The Stats: Candelino appeared in 28 games (13 starts) and averaged 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

The Impact: The ASUN's fast-paced style fits Candelino perfectly. He shot a blistering 42.6% from three-point range, becoming a lethal floor-spacer for the Bisons.

Chris Hodges | Montana State Bobcats

Hodges spent three years buried in a crowded Wisconsin frontcourt rotation. He finally hit the portal ahead of his senior season and transferred to Montana State in the Big Sky Conference to find consistent playing time.

The Stats: Hodges started all 32 games for the Bobcats, averaging 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

The Impact: While he didn't put up eye-popping scoring numbers, Hodges provided a sturdy, veteran interior presence, shooting 57.7% from the floor and eating up 23 minutes a night.

Luke Haertle | South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Haertle, an in-state product who walked on at Wisconsin and played heavily on the scout team, transferred to South Dakota State to crack a Division 1 rotation.

The Stats: Haertle played in 30 games off the bench, averaging 3.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in about 15 minutes of action per game.

The Impact: Moving to the Summit League allowed Haertle to earn real rotational minutes. He provided solid backcourt depth for a Jackrabbits team that always expects to compete for conference titles.

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Christian Borman
CHRISTIAN BORMAN

Christian Borman is Wisconsin native that has been covering Wisconsin Athletics since 2018, focused on Badger football, basketball, and recruiting. In the past, he has written for Badger of Honor, and BadgerNotes, among others.

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