Wisconsin Basketball Lands 7-Foot Big Man From Minnesota

A little over a week after Wisconsin basketball landed its first commit in the class of 2027, it's already secured another pledge.

Wauwatosa West four-star combo guard Jalen Brown committed to the Badgers on June 5, and now, he's joined in the 2027 class by Minnesota forward Jack Thelen, who committed to Wisconsin Saturday afternoon, first reported by Nick Osen of 247Sports.

BREAKING: Minnesota seven-footer Jack Thelen has committed to WISCONSIN pic.twitter.com/askOWaEpQu
— Nick Osen (@TheRealNickOsen) June 13, 2026

Things moved exceedingly quickly with Thelen, as Wisconsin just extended the 7-foot-1 Maple Grove native an offer on Wednesday. Days later, he's pledge number two for the Badgers in a class that suddenly has an elite guard and a 7-footer already locked in.

Thelen is currently an unranked prospect on both 247Sports and On3/Rivals. Still, the 7-foot-1, 240-pound center also lists offers from Miami (OH), Montana and Murray State, while receiving some interest from the hometown Gophers as well.

Thelen's recruitment has picked up quickly. His Montana offer came in on May 15, and his Miami offer just 15 days later. Another 15 days after that, he received his first high-major offer from the Badgers, and he quickly decided he'd seen enough.

Even though this recruitment looked to be an extremely abbreviated process, it's not completely mind-blowing that Wisconsin was able to get this done so quickly. There's a definite precedent for big men from Minnesota in Madison, a pipeline that only appears to be growing stronger.

From Tyler Wahl to Steven Crowl to Nolan Winter and a handful of others, the Badgers have a clear blueprint and track record of success with taking Minnesota forwards and developing them into quality players.

Thelen's commitment is one that could have a ripple effect down the line. He's teammates, both at Maple Grove High School and on the AAU Circuit, with another big-time Badgers target Baboucarr Ann.

Quick scouting report

7'1 center Jack Thelen helped lead Maple Grove to a win over Wayzata on Friday night! Highlights of the 2027 post prospect @JackThelen_

Full highlights: https://t.co/tLpsxeUk8i pic.twitter.com/k17r2L8MVE
— Fresh Coast Hoops (@FreshCoastHoops) February 9, 2026

The 7-foot-1 Thelen is more of a traditional big man who displays good touch and footwork around the rim. He knows how to get to his spots and use his size to his advantage down low. Thelen also has a penchant for shot-blocking, and his size makes him an obvious asset on the defensive end.

It's not a consistent part of his game, but at times you'll see Thelen bury an open three. It looks to be a growing aspect of his offensive arsenal, and he doesn't need to be a Nolan Winter-level shooter to thrive in Madison.

Thelen isn't going to be slashing at his size, but he can still put the ball on the deck at times and get some dribble penetration. Another less prevelant but still notable aspect of his game; Thelen flashes some nice passing ability out of the low post.

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