BadgerNotes dives into both Twitter and Facebook questions from subscribers of the Newsletter in this week’s Wisconsin men’s basketball mailbag:
That’s an interesting question and one that I’ve recently given a fair amount of thought. Obviously, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward was UW’s best low post presence last season and grew into a reliable third scoring option - reaching double figures in scoring in 18 of 32 games.
According to Synergy, Wahl averaged 0.992 points per possession on post-touches last season – placing him in the 80th percentile in all of college basketball. So, the numbers reflect that he was just as good on the low block as the eye test told us.
That said, I don’t feel his physical stature will allow him to command the high-usage offensive role that Ethan Happ did for the Badgers. It’s easy to see some of the parallels between their respective games in the low-post, but Wahl is unlikely to command the defensive attention Happ did to justify it.
I expect the Minnesota native to be more relied upon as a scorer for Wisconsin this upcoming season.
There is no way to answer this question definitively, but we know that UW reports on June 13th to begin summer workouts in preparation for their trip to France. In a perfect world, you’d at least have your transfer big man in the fold by then.
It’s important to remember that Chris Vogt wasn’t brought in until early June of 2021, so coach Gard still has time to be picky and find the right fit for the program.
With the NBA Draft deadline having passed, programs have a better idea of their scholarship situations and can now start the second wave of transfers finding new homes.
With two roster spots available, I expect Gard will fill them with experienced grad transfers, both of whom should join the fold sometime this month. Patience.
We're talking about a backup role that offers roughly 10 minutes or less a game behind Tyler Wahl. Now, that's not insignificant, obviously, but this answer comes down to just one thing - Can Markus Ilver take the next step in his development?
Ilver has a much higher ceiling than Carter Gilmore, who saw some of those forward minutes early last season. However, Ilver didn't show much of anything in his limited opportunities that suggested he was ready to contribute in any capacity. The Estonian-born forward is who Badger fans should be rooting for to earn these minutes because if he does, it means he took a huge step forward this offseason. There is a lot of untapped potential here.
That said, if Ilver isn't ready to contribute, coach Gard knows what he has in Gilmore. Fans need to understand that when Gilmore sees the floor, he's being asked to take care of the basketball, offer some defensive versatility, and get Wahl a breather - that's it. He's taken more than his fair share of unwarranted criticism and is essentially an insurance policy at forward because the staff trusts him.
UW should be fine at the backup four spot between the two players if either player can take a step forward this offseason.
This next one comes from Facebook: If the season started today, who would be your projected starting five?
Given the current state of the roster, my starting lineup would likely consist of Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, Jordan Davis, Tyler Wahl, and Steven Crowl if the season started today.
A lot is subject to change, given that Wisconsin's roster hasn't been finalized. Another starting-caliber wing is undoubtedly near the top of UW's offseason wishlist.
Also from Facebook: Why are fans so quick to write off Chris Hodges playing the Chris Vogt role in 2022?
I want to start answering this question by saying that I believe Chris Hodges has the potential to be that guy; I’m just not sure he’s that guy right now.
Badger fans have to remember this is a player that sat out his senior year of basketball due to COVID-19, so his first season in the program was mostly about getting his feet back under him and acclimating to the college game.
I viewed Hodges as a bit of a project with some upside when he committed to UW, so even if he hadn’t sat out his senior year, I wasn’t expecting him to see the court until he had some time to refine his game.
Expecting Hodges to step into an important role like the one Chris Vogt vacated seems like too much of a leap for me to buy into right now.
I’ve heard from people close to the situation that Hodges still needs some time and that, in a perfect world wouldn’t have to see the floor until 2023.
If Wisconsin’s activity in the transfer portal tells us anything, it’s that they likely agree with that sentiment.
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