3 vital questions that Greg Gard has yet to answer ahead of Wisconsin's season opener

The Wisconsin Badgers have officially wrapped up their three-game preseason exhibition run, winning each of the three in dominant fashion. Wisconsin is now facing its first real contest of the year, inviting Denver University into the Kohl Center on Nov. 2 for its season and home opener.

That said, despite Badger hoops giving a three-game sample of what’s to come, many questions still remained unanswered heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Head coach Greg Gard has done a nice job establishing an idea of what the pecking order is going to be like and how the team will operate, but that’s not to say we have a clear idea of what the team will look like.

Question one: Who’s the first five?

The same five guys took the floor to start for Wisconsin in each of its three exhibition games, which, to some, may make this question a bit redundant. That said, the set of circumstances that led the Badgers to roll out the five they did were a bit odd, leaving some valid room for questioning.

Owen Foxwell, Nolan Winter and Eian Elmer are all locks and seem to be the three “go-to guys” no matter the scenario, all but solidifying their spots. The other two starters (Victory Onuetu and Jack Janicki), however, don’t have as clear of a path.

For Onuetu, he originally got the starting nod with forward Austin Rapp remaining sidelined with an injury and saw a noticeable decrease in his minutes after the Aussie returned. Janicki got the start on paper, but was consistently given fewer minutes than Braeden Carrington — who is still fighting an eligibility battle — and Trey Autry, meaning that his spot, too, could be up in the air.

It is worth noting that both Carrington and Rapp came off the bench for the majority of last year, meaning Gard could do the same again in hopes of gaining a second-unit scoring punch, but for now, the question remains.

Question two: Backup guard?

Foxwell is the guy; we know that. But outside of the 22-year-old Australian newcomer, there is little to no clarity as to who will run the second unit. Coming into the year, many believed it would be Zach Kinziger, and in all fairness, there is a chance. That said, his inconsistent play through the three exhibitions was far from enough for him to own the mantle.

Others have pointed to Jackson Ball as the guy to take the mantle, but again, inconsistency and a lack of a standout performance plagued him through the three games. Luckily for Badger fans, Foxwell will likely be able to carry the load for at least 30 minutes a night, but if he were to get hurt or enter into some foul trouble, Wisconsin could enter some very dark areas incredibly quickly.

Question three: Do they have enough?

The biggest question to ask when trying to evaluate a team’s NCAA Tournament viability is whether there is enough talent to garner a deep run. Of course, sleeper teams emerge all the time, and with the right set of games in front of them, the Badgers could go as far as luck takes them.

That said, a lack of a true second option, poor secondary playmaking and a go-to guy in Foxwell who lacks outside shooting volume should be concerning for when Wisconsin matches up with the best of the best.

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