Wisconsin Basketball: Transfer center Chris Vogt commits to Wisconsin

Greg Gard filled the last glaring need for Wisconsin basketball over the weekend, securing a commitment from Cinncinati Transfer big man, Chris Vogt.

Vogt announced his commitment to Wisconsin basketball via his Twitter account.

Standing at 7-foot-1, Vogt has something you can’t teach: height. The Badgers were going to be a little thin in the front-court following the departures of Micah Potter, Nate Reuvers, and Joe Hedstrom. Vogt fills a need at the center position but also brings valuable experience to a young roster that could use some seasoning.

Chris Vogt has had two prior stops during his collegiate career, first at Northern Kentucky, and most recently at Cincinnati. In his career, Vogt has played in 103 games, starting 50. As a Junior at Cincinnati, Vogt enjoyed his best season, averaging 11 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading the conference in FG%. Last season Vogt averaged 5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 18 minutes per game.

Scouting Report

On offense, Vogt is a player with decent fundamentals on the block. Vogt sets strong screens (he’s 260 pounds), and is not afraid to attack the rim on dump-offs.

This isn’t your prototypical Wisconsin big, Vogt is going to live within five feet of the rim. That’s not to say he doesn’t have value on offense. Vogt is someone who seals defenders really well down low and is a guy you can dump it down low when you need a bucket. He is also a player who doesn’t hesitate when he goes to the rim, he’s aggressive and absorbs contact well.

When the point guard is breaking down defenders, Vogt is always ready and expecting the ball. The senior remains patient in the post and uses his height to scan the floor before putting the ball on the court. Last season Vogt made a noticeable improvement as a low post distributor. I would categorize Vogt as more athletic than Nate Reuvers, but not someone who is an above-average athlete by any means. He is also a career 41% from the foul line, so mentally prepare yourself for that.

On defense is where I think Vogt brings the most value to this program. The Cincinnati big man is a fearless rim protector and one with above-average instincts at that. Does well to disrupt shots from guards on ball screens due to his above-average wingspan. Foot speed appears to be on the slower side, so depending on the perimeter will not be a strength. Vogt is not a strong rebounder but does box out well, which should bode well for the construct of the roster.

I think its a perfect fit for both the player and the program. Wisconsin needed a big man to lean on for minutes this season, and Vogt has one year left of eligibility. Chris Vogt should provide a nice bridge into our next generation of front-court players. I expect to see Vogt somewhere in the 18-24 minute range this season, playing in tandem with Steven Crowl, much like we saw with Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter.

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