Wisconsin basketball's John Blackwell was exceptional in a lot of ways last season for the Badgers, and he soared past what many people projected him to be in his sophomore campaign. He averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season. In the NCAA tournament, he went 19 and 21 in the two games the Badgers played. He is closing in on becoming a real threat in the NBA, and his talent and potential are clearly there, which is why he declared for the NBA Draft today but maintained his college eligibility.
This isn't a panic moment for Wisconsin fans; in fact, it's a good thing, and Greg Gard explains it well in his release about Blackwell's intention for the NBA Draft.
A win-win opportunity for JB pic.twitter.com/j7VxBePu31
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 3, 2025
John Blackwell declares for the NBA Draft to get the feedback he needs for next season
By declaring for the NBA draft but maintaining college eligibility, Blackwell is able to receive feedback from NBA scouts and even a projection of where he would land in the draft if he were to be drafted. The feedback is important for Blackwell as he wants to play in the NBA and needs to know what his growth areas are in his junior season.
Greg Gard closes his press release by saying, "This is a win-win opportunity for John to receive feedback from NBA personnel while retaining the ability to play for our program next fall."
This means that Gard is fully planning for Blackwell to return while at the same time allowing Blackwell to learn what skills and areas of improvement he can use next season to get even more NBA-ready. The only thing to watch for as a Wisconsin fan is if he receives a really good grade and Blackwell fully jumps into the NBA Draft. This would be awesome for him, but it would be tough to watch next season's best player leave early.