All-Big East freshman is just what the Wisconsin Badgers need, if they can afford him

The Wisconsin Badgers have already seen four players enter the transfer portal. Two of which were seldom-used underclassmen in Jack Robison and Riccardo Greppi. This week, star guard John Blackwell and forward Aleksas Bieliauskas chose to enter the portal. The former of which, while somewhat expected, still hit Badger fans hard. 

Replacing Blackwell’s 19.1 points per game, second-highest on the team, will be a massive challenge for the Badgers. However, plenty of guards have already declared for the portal who appear, on the surface, good fits to fill Blackwell’s shoes.  

There is one shooting guard currently in the portal that makes sense for Greg Gard and the Badgers, but he will not be cheap.  It’s also a player Wisconsin played against early in the season, back in late November. 

Former Providence guard Stefan Vaaks would be a fantastic fit for Wisconsin.

Vaaks is coming off a stellar freshman season in which he averaged 15.8 points per game over 31 games and led the team with 91 made three-pointers. Against Wisconsin, Vaaks had 11 points on 4-of-10 shots from the floor in the Friars' 104-83 loss to Wisconsin back on November 27th. After the season, Vaaks was one of two Providence players to make the All-Big East Freshman team. 

There are some traits to Vaaks’ game that I believe will fit well with Wisconsin. First, Vaaks is a 6-foot-7 shooting guard who can shoot over defenders from long range and create mismatches with his size. In addition, he is a great spot-up shooter who can attack defenses in pick-and-roll action.  

However, Vaaks should command a hefty deal from a major college basketball program. According to 247Sports, he is the seventh-ranked overall player in the transfer portal and second-ranked shooting guard behind Blackwell. This is significant because Greg Gard has indicated Wisconsin is not near the top of the Big Ten in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) funding, which may limit the Badgers' ability to compete for high-profile transfers like Vaaks. 

Blackwell’s decision to enter the transfer portal is a major hole the Badgers must fill, but Vaaks is a talented shooting guard who can fill it. His three-point shooting and 6-foot-7 frame would thrive in Greg Gard’s offense. If, and that’s a major if, the Badgers can match Vaaks’ offers, then Wisconsin might get its next great transfer under Greg Gard.