Greg Gard can’t afford to miss on Wisconsin’s stacked 2027 in-state class

Greg Gard and the Badgers are going to have to figure out in-state recruiting in the very near future, as the class of 2027 in Wisconsin looks like one of the best in the country. Seven players in the ’27 class find themselves ranked inside the top-125 composite rankings, six of whom remain uncommitted.

Although UW-Madison is the largest state school in all of Wisconsin, throughout its history — especially as of recent — the Wisconsin Badgers have struggled to recruit in-state basketball players. In recent memory, the Badgers have lost out on numerous All-American-level talents and first-round picks, often leaving them scraping down the recruiting board to find talent.

Wisconsin has had its hits, most notably Johnny Davis, who was relatively under-recruited for the value he ended up returning to the Badgers. But for every guy Wisconsin has landed, they’ve seemingly missed on five others.

Wisconsin have struggled mightly with in-state recruiting under Greg Gard

Wisconsin has already lost out on the “top dog” of the class, with five-star recruit and top-30 player Dooney Johnson committing to play his college ball with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. With that said, hope for the class is by no means lost, as plenty of star-level talents are still looming on the horizon.

The most notable of the players still available, Donovan Davis, is set to make his decision on May 6th and has Wisconsin listed in his top six schools. The odds of the Badgers landing him seem slim, however, as many project the 6-foot-7 forward to land with Iowa State — a school that has become notorious for poaching Wisconsin kids. But even if Wisconsin loses out on him, there are other guys who could still be targets.

Jack Kohnen, Jalen Brown, Kager Knueppel, and Deuce McDuffie each hold offers from the Badgers as of now, and each has a real chance of landing with the team. The majority of the buzz around who Gard is actively pursuing revolves around Brown and Knueppel — two players with vastly different, yet potent, skillsets.

Brown is an athletic freak with two-way capabilities and a downhill, score-first mindset. Knueppel, on the other hand, is a skilled forward with a silky smooth outside shot and developing ball skills. Wisconsin already lost out on Kon Knueppel, Kager’s older brother, who just wrapped up one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. Losing out on another family member could leave fans disgruntled, especially if Wisconsin doesn’t land another top talent in that class.

Either way, the Badgers have a huge crop of talent to sift through in the very near future. If Gard can land one of Davis, Brown, or Knueppel, fans would be over the moon — even more so if they can add another piece further down the board. There is still plenty of time between now and the ’27 class’s signing day, but things are shaping up to be one of the most important years in Badger basketball recruiting history.

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