Three Early Potential Nick Boyd Replacements for Wisconsin Basketball

Many critical dominoes have yet to fall in regard to Wisconsin basketball's 2026-27 roster, namely the decisions of John Blackwell and Nolan Winter.

We do know one thing for certain, however: Nick Boyd's time as a Badger is over.

The former Florida Atlantic Owl and San Diego State Aztec spent his final year of college ball in Madison, and what a year it was. The point guard averaged 20.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists, etching his name into Wisconsin basketball's lore forever.

Despite just one season in the Cardinal and White and a first-round NCAA Tournament exit, Boyd will go down as one of the best to ever play point guard in Madison.

Now, head coach Greg Gard and company face the unenviable task of finding his replacement.

The Badgers have struck gold in the portal in three straight offseasons (AJ Storr, John Tonje and now Boyd) and are going to have to do it once again in order to replace the point guard's enormous production, let alone his leadership qualities and infectious competitive spirit.

The transfer portal isn't officially open until April 7, but the floodgates have already opened as hundreds of players announce their intention to enter each day.

Thus, there's plenty of intriguing point guards already seeking new homes. Let's peruse the early entries and examine some potential Boyd replacements the Badgers could target:

1. Jackson Shelstad, Oregon

Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Sure, every program in the nation would probably sign Shelstad at the drop of a hat. If this comes down to a monetary decision for the point guard, Wisconsin is probably off the table. But if the rising senior wants to further develop his game at a program that needs him badly and has proven to be competitive year-in and year-out, the Badgers could make a lot of sense.

Shelstad is coming off a hand injury that cost him 20 games in 2025-26, including the final 19 games of the season. Still, when he was on the court, he was a nightmare for opponents, averaging 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals.

It remains to be seen if he'll have one or two more years of eligibility given his injury situation this past season. But part of Boyd's allure for Wisconsin was his experience and veteran presence, something Shelstad has spades with 77 career starts.

The point guard's efficiency took a dip this season as he battled his hand ailment, but the season prior, he posted 45/38/84 shooting splits. That kind of scoring prowess coupled with his facilitation skills (4.9 assists per game in 2025-26) makes him a top-notch player who you could realistically see filling the void left by Boyd.

2. Joel Foxwell, Portland

Former Portland guard Joel Foxwell. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin fared well last offseason when it nabbed a former Portland Pilot, Austin Rapp, via the transfer portal. The Badgers could go back to the well in 2026 with another Melbourne-born Pilot in Joel Foxwell.

Foxwell had a stellar 2025-26 campaign. He immediately earned a staring role upon stepping on campus and started all 34 games for Portland, averaging 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.4 steals.

Though Foxwell is clearly a gifted scorer, the number that jumps out to me off that stat-line is the 6.5 assists. Wisconsin needs facilitation as well as scoring; Boyd's 4.3 assists per game were easily tops on the team and he was arguably the Badgers' best passer along with Andrew Rohde.

Another thing to like about Foxwell? Many of his best games came against the Pilots' best opponents (27 points, four rebounds, eight assists against Gonzaga; 27 points, three rebounds, five assists against St. Mary's; 20 points, two rebounds and 15 assists against Santa Clara). That screams the same kind of competitive spirit that made Boyd so dangerous for the Badgers.

Oh, and he just so happens to be repped by the same agency as Boyd — ProMondo Sports.

3. Christian Bliss, Delaware

Delaware Hens guard Christian Bliss. | Saquan Stimpson/Special Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bliss carries plenty of intrigue, and it's not just due to the 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists he averaged as a freshman with Delaware.

The Queens, New York native started his career at Virginia, but didn't play a game with the Cavaliers. Initially, he dealt with a foot injury that kept him sidelined, but eventually his then-head coach Ron Sanchez told reporters that he was medically cleared to return and simply was choosing not to do so.

That situation might raise some question marks from prospective Power Conference coaches, but his play certainly won't. He was dynamic as both a facilitator and scorer, and he shot 39.2 percent from distance on 5.5 three-point attempts per game.

Given his performance with the Blue Hens this season, and the fact that he was initially recruited to Virginia out of high school, there shouldn't be any questions about if his game will translate to a higher level of the sport. And like Foxwell, Bliss has three seasons of eligibility remaining; he's someone the staff could mold over time.