Wisconsin Badgers basketball is off to a hot start after taking down the Ball State Cardinals 86-55 on Tuesday night. This marks the Badgers' third-straight win to start the season as the No. 24 team in the country.
While star performers like John Blackwell and Nolan Winter have garnered most of the attention, a true freshman has already shown some huge potential in his own right through the first three games.
Will Garlock is making the most out of his limited minutes on the court. Despite playing just 11.7 minutes per game, the Middleton native has been quite impressive so far. At seven-feet tall, Garlock is tied for second on the team in assists with 2.3 dimes per game. The vision is certainly there with him.
Badgers freshman Will Garlock has emerged as a key player off the bench
The Badgers have been forced to rely heavily on freshman in 2025 so far, with three players--Hayden Jones, Aleksas Bieliauskas and Garlock--all getting meaningful minutes off the bench for Greg Gard.
While there is sure to be some growing pains, Garlock has impressed with his passing ability. He has just one turnover, when compared to his seven assists through the first three games of the season.
Truth be told, Garlock has been such a pleasant surprise for Wisconsin, who had initially planned on having upperclassman forward Elijah Gray before his dismissal from the team.
Now, Garlock has moved into a crucial role off the bench and has thrived as mobile big man who can rebound, pass and defend the rim. He has averaged 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds, to go along with his 2.3 assists per game.
Touted as a great athlete coming out of high school, Garlock was the No. 35 center in the country in the 2025 recruiting class. He chose Wisconsin over offers from Marquette, Virginia Tech, and more.
It is still so early in the season, but seeing Garlock be trusted early on will only help the Badgers later.