Where Each Wisconsin Basketball Returnee Must Improve for 2026-27

Wisconsin basketball officially announced its class of returning players for the 2026-27 season. With the two biggest names, Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp, already locked in for next season prior to the announcement, there were no big surprises.

The Badgers have also brought in eight players this offseason and still have one more spot to fill for their 2026-27 roster. But retention is such a crucial aspect of building a college basketball team, and Wisconsin will bank on some returning players making big strides.

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What does each player returning for the 2026-27 season need to improve upon? Badgers On SI takes a look below:

Nolan Winter, Forward

Winter developed into a walking double-double as a junior in Madison. He averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 33 percent from distance. It was easily his best season with the Badgers, and he firmly established himself as one of the better stretch bigs in the conference.

Winter took big strides as a junior, but he was still the third-fiddle to John Blackwell and Nick Boyd. With both star guards having skipped town, the rising senior Winter now has a clear path to become the Badgers’ top scoring option. Last season, his offensive usage percentage was just 17.8. Without nearly as much star power next season, Winter is going to need to assert himself more offensively and potentially become this team’s primary scoring threat. The good news is that he’s more than capable, and it’s not too much to ask – in fact, it’s the logical next step in his development.

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Austin Rapp, Forward

Wisconsin Badgers forward Austin Rapp. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Rapp became a fan favorite with his tendency to get scorching hot from distance, a skill he only seemed to improve upon as the season wore on – he shot 42 percent from deep (on 7.2 attempts per game) in the month of March.

The Australian’s three-point shooting is undoubtedly his calling card, but Wisconsin is going to need more out of the…

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Publish date : 2026-04-29 17:04:00

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