The Wisconsin Badgers need to retool in the transfer portal, and they need to retool fast. They now have four out of five starters leaving the program. Two are out of years of eligibility (Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde), and two are headed to the transfer portal (Aleksas Bieliauskas and John Blackwell). Nolan Winter is the lone starter left.
There are two in-state players in the portal who have some interest in the Badgers. Or potentially could have some interest. One is a high-major freshman who didn't get much usage last year and is already looking to move on, Jake Hansen. The other is a mid-major guard who proved his worth by averaging 16.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season in Nick Janowski.
Jake Hansen - Guard - Oklahoma
The Badgers are going to be in the market for a guard, though maybe not at the level of Hansen, who hasn't proven anything yet at the high major level. He played his freshman year for the Oklahoma Sooners but only appeared in three total games.
He came out of Wauwatosa without a Wisconsin Badgers offer. He's a sharpshooter and is known for his ability to knock down shots. He probably doesn't fit the billing of what Wisconsin is looking for in this portal cycle. Though, as a depth piece, who knows.
Nick Janowski - Guard - St. Thomas
Janowski, on the other hand, tore it up at St. Thomas as a redshirt freshman, averaging 16.1 points per game and showing off his ability to be an electric combo guard at the high-major level. He actually started his career at Nebraska, but redshirted the entire season and didn't appear in any games. It prompted him to prove himself first at a mid-major. He did just that.
Now he's back in the portal looking for a new opportunity. He's from Pewaukee High School, where he was a 3-star recruit. He was recruited and offered out of high school by the Badgers, but ultimately chose to go to Nebraska. Is this a chance to bring him home and help fill the void that John Blackwell left? He's a very intriguing option.