Top Three Skills Wisconsin Basketball Must Aquire in the Transfer Portal

With the transfer portal not officially open for two more weeks and plenty of players just beginning to trickle in, we don't know who exactly Wisconsin basketball needs to recruit this offseason.

We do, however, know what the Badgers need to add to their roster. Specifically, what skills and traits Wisconsin needs to acquire via the portal to mesh with the projected 2026-27 roster and shore up deficiencies from a promising season that fell flat in the NCAA Tournament.

In the absence of concrete targets as the transfer portal continues to take shape, here's a breakdown of the top skills and traits Wisconsin needs to procure. These needs should guide the Badgers' portal strategy this spring:

1. Rim Protection

Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

If you watched even a portion of Wisconsin basketball's 2025-26 season, rim protection would still likely stand out to you as a immediate need.

Heading into the season, the Badgers had one proven forward in Nolan Winter, who isn't known for his defense in particular. He led the team with 1.2 blocks per game, and while his presence in the paint certainly made a difference on the defensive end, it was clear Wisconsin needed more.

Even with Winter, the Badgers need some reinforcements at the rim. But there's also a decent chance they may lose the seven-footer to the NBA or the transfer portal this offseason, which would only further highlight Wisconsin's need for a shot-blocking big.

Overall, Wisconsin finished 224th in the nation in defensive block percentage, according to KenPom. What's more, the two forwards the Badgers are expected to return — Austin Rapp and Aleksas Bieliauskas — each averaged just 0.5 and 0.6 blocks per game, respectively. Both players, Rapp especially, are more offensive-minded.

Wisconsin managed to beat plenty of teams with stellar frontcourts this season due to outstanding guard play. But with the Badgers poised to be less dynamic in the backcourt next year, adding a big man or two with some defensive pedigree is critical.

2. Isolation Scoring

Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Nick Boyd has played his last game in a Wisconsin uniform. The same could very well be true for John Blackwell.

Aside from the combined 39.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists the pair provided, both guards are legitimate isolation scorers who can take matters into their own hands when their team needs a bucket. Whether by driving to the rim or finding their own shot un-assisted, both Boyd and Blackwell are dynamic scorers who can create for themselves. Even if Blackwell returns, Wisconsin is going to need help in that department.

That's easier said than done, of course. Most players that can create for themselves in a Boyd-or-Blackwell-like capacity have the NBA in their future. All will come with a sizable price tag.

The Badgers' offense creates plenty of open threes, and the staff has placed an emphasis on recruiting players who are naturally-gifted scorers, as defense is easier to teach and instill. Still, this offense needs one or two players who can put the ball on the deck and/or create a good look for themself at the drop of a hat.

3. On-Ball Defense

Wisconsin Badgers guard Andrew Rohde. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In a similar vein to rim protection, Wisconsin's on-ball defense needs to take a step up from where it was in 2025-26. The Badgers are coming off their worst defensive season in terms of adjusted efficiency (55th nationally) in the Greg Gard era, and they lose arguably their best on-ball defender (Andrew Rohde) to graduation this offseason.

Consider this: Wisconsin ranked in the 300s nationally in both defensive turnover percentage and defensive steal percentage. In other words, the Badgers were well below-average in terms of creating turnovers and stealing the ball. Not all of that comes down to on-ball defense, of course, but the steal numbers especially paint the picture of a team lacking great one-on-one defenders.

Every team wants the equivalent of a lockdown cornerback, a player who can completely eliminate the other team's most dangerous scorer. That's probably an unrealistic ask for Wisconsin in the portal, especially considering this is lower on the Badgers' list of needs. But Wisconsin would be wise to target more players like Rohde; experienced, unselfish and with a track record of good defensive play.