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Wisconsin Basketball: Chucky Hepburn player profile and interview

By Dillon Graff

Chucky Hepburn of Bellevue West High School at the Purdue Elite Basketball Camp Saturday, August 25, 2018, at the France A. Cordova Recreational Sports Center.Laf Purdue Elite Camp
Chucky Hepburn of Bellevue West High School at the Purdue Elite Basketball Camp Saturday, August 25, 2018, at the France A. Cordova Recreational Sports Center.Laf Purdue Elite Camp /
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Feb 6, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Basketball Badgers head coach Greg Gard adjusts his mask during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Basketball Badgers head coach Greg Gard adjusts his mask during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

With the Wisconsin basketball off-season underway, it’s time to take a closer look at the incoming freshman Coach Gard has entering the program. In total Greg Gard has signed four players in the class of 2021: Chucky Hepburn, Matthew Mors, Chris Hodges, and Markus Ilver.

Today in part one of our incoming freshman profiles, we will take a deep dive into a point guard, Chucky Hepburn.

Player profile

Hometown: Bellevue, Nebraska.

Measurables: 6’1 185 lbs.

Position: Point Guard

Rank: 199th overall per 247Sports (criminally underrated), 20th ranked PG, 2nd ranked player in Nebraska.

Prep basketball career numbers, per maxpreps.com:

2020-21: 15.9 points, 8.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 steals

2019-20: 17.7 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 steals

2018-19: 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.4 steals

2017-18: 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.1 steals

Accolades:

2020 Nebraska Gatorade player of the year.

2020 Class A state championship.

2021 State Championship runner-up.

First 3x All-State player in Nebraska since 2013

Finished 5th on the Class A all-time scoring list

The three-star point guard out of Bellevue West in Nebraska committed to Wisconsin basketball over the likes of Creighton, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

Individual thoughts

Chucky Hepburn is the crown jewel of the class in the eyes of Badger Nation, and for good reason. The Nebraska native is an ideal fit, offering everything that we’ve come to love and expect from the point guard position throughout the years. Additionally, Hepburn possesses qualities that are unique and can help elevate the program to new heights offensively. I’m not suggesting that the system will change much, if at all, but the option to tweak things exists because of a player like Hepburn.

I have a similar feeling with Chucky Hepburn that I did with Jonathan Davis. I see him as more or less a can’t miss prospect and a potentially foundational type of player for this program. All of the tools are there for Hepburn to get the keys to the point guard position and not look back.

https://twitter.com/ChuckyHepburn/status/1374718779956064262?s=20

Film review

On the defensive end, Hepburn possesses all the moxy and grit that earns a player minutes early in their careers. The Nebraska native is a gifted athlete who refuses to be outworked by anyone on the court.

Anytime you mix work ethic with prodigious defensive instincts, you’ve got a player to be excited about. In the pick and roll, Chucky has a way of forcing the ball handler into whatever he wants to give them, rather than the point guard dictating it. He works hard getting through ball screens (something coach Gard values) and doesn’t take any unnecessary risks. He has a nose for the ball and forcing turnovers. Simply put, Chucky Hepburn takes pride in his defense.

Offensively Hepburn has developed into a player capable of scoring at all three levels. Chucky improved his ball-handling to the point he can break down defenders and create for himself seemingly at will. Where Hepburn thrives is in his play-making and ability to create for others. In transition Chucky sees things develop before they even happen.

He takes care of the basketball and gets his teammates involved in a way I’m not sure we’ve had recently. He is going to get his teammates a lot of easy buckets. Hepburn was born to play point guard. The position just comes naturally to him. He’s both a perfect system fit and unique.

What sticks out most to me is the physicality he plays with and his off the chart’s basketball IQ. Players like Chucky Hepburn make everyone around them better on and off the court. There is no doubt that he will be a welcomed addition to the program. Hepburn is going to be beloved by Wisconsin basketball fans from game one, and a personal favorite of Greg Gard.

Future Outlook

With the graduation of D’Mitrik Trice, and Trevor Anderson entering the transfer portal, there is a non-zero chance that Hepburn starts at point guard from day one. I view Hepburn as a multi-year starter, who could push for an all-defensive team, and capable of earning All-Conference honors in his career.

Next, we had a chance to catch up with Chucky to talk to him about his recruitment.