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What Elijah Gray's dismissal means for Wisconsin Badgers basketball rotation

One of Wisconsin's few veteran frontcourt options suddenly departed the program less than a week away from the regular season. The Badgers have limited options to fill the role.
Cam Wilhorn|
Memphis' Dain Dainja (42) guards Temple's Elijah Gray (22) as he drives to the basket during the game between Temple University and the University of Memphis at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Sunday, February 9, 2025.
Memphis' Dain Dainja (42) guards Temple's Elijah Gray (22) as he drives to the basket during the game between Temple University and the University of Memphis at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Sunday, February 9, 2025. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers are wrapping up their preseason exhibition games and less than a week away from their regular-season opener against Campbell.

Yet, the program underwent a significant roster change.

Senior Temple transfer Elijah Gray was dismissed from the program Tuesday, according to a press release from a UW spokesperson.

The release says Gray's dismissal came as a result of events preceding his enrollment at the University of Wisconsin. Due to privacy laws, the university couldn't to share more details at the moment.

Gray averaged 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game in 2024-25 with Temple.

He didn't appear in Wisconsin's Red/White Scrimmage due to an illness and didn't travel with the team to Milwaukee for Friday's exhibition game against Oklahoma at Fiserv Forum.

His exact role with the Badgers remained unknown due to his absences, but considering Gray was the only upperclassmen player besides Noaln Winter who is taller than 6-foot-7, it looked like he'd be a fixture off the bench.

Wisconsin's options to replace Gray's rotation spot are limited. The frontcourt depth had already been a question mark for the Badgers, with true freshmen Will Garlock and Aleksas Bieliauskas along with sophomore Riccardo Greppi being the only bigs outside of Gray.

Greppi wasn't part of Wisconsin's 10-player rotation against Oklahoma, which leaves Wisconsin with two realistic paths forward: a heavy dose of freshmen or playing undersized at power forward.

More minutes for freshmen centers

Greg Gard has been complimentary of both Garlock and Bieliauskas. Garlock's physical skills and athleticism at seven feet tall are impressive. But at this point, he's a raw prospect.

Though Garlock is a developmental piece, Gard has committed to getting the freshman from Middleton consistent playing time.

"I need to play him to get him... not where he is on October 24, [but] where will he be by February 24 if I can continue to get him experience and help him grow," Gard said after the Oklahoma exhibition. "Because physically, he has a lot of potential and a lot of talent."

Garlock played eight minutes in the exhibition, going scoreless (0-for-1 shooting), with an assist, a foul and a turnover.

Bieliauskas, on the other hand, came to Madison with a more refined game. The Lithuanian had an excellent summer representing his home country in international competition, and his professional experience has helped him adapt to Wisconsin's screen-heavy offense. Defensively, he's still understanding how the game of college basketball is officiated.

He played 13 minutes against the Sooners, scoring six points on two made three-pointers, with three rebounds, three fouls and a turnover. He committed four fouls and three turnovers in the Red/White scrimmage.

Interestingly Garlock and Bieliauskas shared the court for a just under three minutes during Wisconsin's exhibition, but it's possible that's more Gard experimenting than an answer to Gray's absence.

Instead, this route would likely feature frontcourt pairings of Winter and Rapp, or one of the two at the power forward spot paired with a freshman at the five.

Sliding a guard to power forward

When it comes to the power forward position, Wisconsin now has only Rapp and Winter. Gray was the shoe-in backup four. Jack Robison is listed as a forward and could play the four, but he also didn't play against Oklahoma.

With Rapp and Winter starting next to each other, Wisconsin would have to stagger the duo frequently in order to keep one of the two at power forward for all 40 minutes.

That would put a significant damper on the Badgers gameplan of utilizing mobile, sharpshooting bigs to create offensive and defensive mismatches, both in the half court and in transition.

One feasible alternative would be to put out a small-ball lineup.

Jack Janicki, Braeden Carrington and Andrew Rohde are listed as either 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6. Each has defensive versatility, though, and could hold their own even while giving up a few inches vertically.

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Gard hasn't hesitated to put guards he trusts into matchups against bigger opponents.

Last season, it was 6-foot-4 Max Klesmit who drew the assignment of 6-foot-10 Ace Bailey. The year before that, Chucky Hepburn gave up a few inches while guarding Terrance Shannon in the Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Carrington and Rohde are in their first seasons in Madison, and Janicki may not have shown the defensive acumen that Klesmit or Hepburn had.

But Gard could try one or more of that trio at the power forward spot -- especially if Bieliauskas and Garlock are slow to develop.

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Cam Wilhorn
CAM WILHORN

Cam Wilhorn is a University of Wisconsin School of Journalism Graduate and Wisconsin native. He's been covering Wisconsin sports since 2023 for outlets like BadgerBlitz.com, Badger of Honor and The Badger Herald.

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