Why Wisconsin Basketball Hasn't Filled Its Final Roster Spot Yet

It may feel like Wisconsin basketball's offseason is all wrapped up.

After all, the Badgers haven't added a player to their squad for 2026-27 since they signed developmental Australian big man Isaac Riddle, filling spot 14 of 15.

Taking a gander at its current roster, Wisconsin's core pieces appear to be in place. Their starting five appears to be locked in, and the top bench options also look to already be on the team.

Thus, that 15th spot doesn't exactly loom large, but it's still open. What's taking the Badgers so long to finalize their roster? Who could they be targeting? Badgers On SI takes a look at the possible scenarios unfolding in Madison:

Wisconsin is waiting on a key ruling

The NCAA Division I Cabinet is set to met on Friday, May 22 to discuss and potentially vote on a new "five-for-five" rule, which would grant athletes five calendar years of eligibility beginning immediately after they turn 19 or graduate from high school, whichever comes first.

The rule would provide immense clarity for programs and athletes alike planning their next move. It wouldn't be retroactive, meaning that if an athlete in the portal has already exhausted their eligibility through four years, they wound't get an additional year based on the new rule.

Essentially, this would clarify which players still on the open market are actually eligible to play. If Wisconsin, for example, targets another experienced player but isn't sure how many years, if any, it would have with him, this ruling could clear the air.

Wisconsin is still negotiating with players

Former Miami (OH) RedHawks forward Eian Elmer. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The transfer portal has been described by multiple coaches and staffers across the country as "speed dating." But things have decidedly slowed down on the portal front in recent weeks as most of the big fish are off the board and rosters continue to come together. With the pace of visits and commitments more sluggish, portal players have more leeway to negotiate the terms of their deal and NIL package.

On the flip side, things tend to happen rather quickly with international prospects. On the Brian Butch podcast, Badgers' general manager Marc VandeWettering said: “It’s straight business with (international players). There’s no bells and whistles, there’s no rolling out the red carpet for visits. They wanna know what their number is for next year, and if they’re good with it, they’re gonna sign it.”

That leads me to believe Wisconsin could still be playing the long game with a handful of American transfer portal prospects that remain on the board.

Wisconsin is in no rush

With a good mix of transfer portal players and international recruits like Owen Foxwell (above), Wisconsin isn't desperate to fill out its roster. | NBL

As mentioned, the Badgers roster is largely complete. They should have their starting five, plus their top two or three bench players, already in tow for the 2026-27 campaign. They hold all the cards — it's the players still in the portal or international players still looking for a program that are the desperate ones.

We're at the stage of the transfer portal where we see Power Four programs taking a shot on mid-major players who have proven next to nothing. For example, on Tuesday, NC State signed a freshman guard from Appalachian State (Jacari Brim) who averaged 1.2 points per game last season. They simply need bodies to fill out their roster. Thanks to deftly navigating the portal, international and high school recruiting, Wisconsin isn't at that level of desperation.

Last season, the Badgers operated with just 14 players after former Temple transfer Elijah Gray was kicked off the team following his reported involvement in a gambling scandal. It wasn't ideal, obviously, but Wisconsin was just fine with 14 players in 2025-26. They're not going to just take anybody simply to get to 15 players. They have the high ground here, and can afford to be picky and let that final roster spot remain open until they find the right fit, from the portal, overseas or otherwise.

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