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NIL resources likely keeping Wisconsin basketball from being a top Big Ten job

A survey of 20 anonymous college coaches ranks Wisconsin basketball in the middle of the Big Ten conference.
Benjamin Worgull|
Dec 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard looks on in the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at the Fiserv Forum.
Dec 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard looks on in the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at the Fiserv Forum. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin has been one of the most consistent programs in the Big Ten over the last 25 years. Evidently, that alone isn't good enough in the eyes of a handful of coaches to list the Badgers as one of the top-tier jobs in the league.

In a series conducted by The Field of 68, which anonymously polls veteran head and assistant coaches in every league to rank the jobs, Wisconsin's job ranking was picked ninth in the 18-team Big Ten. UW received 190 votes from the panel with no first-place votes.

The survey laid out no specific parameters for the coaches to follow but was evident that financial resources (NIL) outweighed recruiting ability, facilities, location, and winning consistency. It's the reason why Michigan received eight of the 20 first-place votes and 322 overall to finish first on the list.

“Location, tradition, massive NIL budget and Jordan Brand," one coach said. “They have the most money and the strongest overall brand in the league.”

Indiana (320 votes, four first) and Michigan State (320, 4), Illinois (306), and Purdue (282, 2) rounded out the top five. UCLA received the other two first-place votes to finish sixth.

Wisconsin wasn't specifically addressed in the story, but quotes from coaches on Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, and UCLA specifically mentioned resources as a driving factor for their placement on the list.

Ranking Oregon eighth - 20 votes ahead of Wisconsin - is a further indicator how big NIL budgets are shaping and impacting college athletics.

Wisconsin basketball's specific NIL spending is not publicly disclosed, but the Badgers have increased their spending after getting increase spending from the university, donations and the Varsity Collective - UW's NIL organization.

While Wisconsin is behind several others in NIL spending, the Badgers don't trail many in consistency.

In 11 seasons under Greg Gard, Wisconsin has won two of the last six regular season conference titles and appeared in the last two Big Ten tournament championships.

Gard has guided UW to a record of 227-123 (.649), the fourth-highest win total and third-highest win percentage in school annals, and 16 wins over top-10 teams.

During the Gard era (since 2015-16), Wisconsin is 123-80 (.606) in Big Ten play, trailing only Purdue and Michigan State for the most league wins and best win percentage in conference play during that span.

Iowa (120), Minnesota (96), Northwestern (56), Rutgers (46), and Penn State (28) were the bottom five in the rankings.

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Benjamin Worgull
BENJAMIN WORGULL

Benjamin Worgull has covered Wisconsin men's basketball since 2004, having previously written for Rivals, USA Today, 247sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, the Janesville Gazette, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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