Wisconsin has one of the best 2027 recruiting classes in the nation right now. They are listed as the No. 2 class by 24/7 Sports, and yet Greg Gard is already digging into 2028. One of the top recruits in the nation, Cole Kelly, recently picked up an offer from the Wisconsin Badgers after he was in Madison for a visit. He spoke highly of Gard and Wisconsin afterward.
He told Evan Flood of On3.com, "They're a winning program, and a team that can really go out and beat anyone on any given night." Kelly's high praise is a good sign for a 4-star wing who has a ton of recent interest and already holds 14 offers from plenty of the best programs like Purdue, Marquette, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and more.
Top 100 wing Cole Kelly breaks down his visit with Wisconsin, which yielded an offer from the #Badgers.https://t.co/QTSpH9L2II (On3+) pic.twitter.com/tKMoezKXqI
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) June 26, 2026
Top-100 4-star Cole Kelly recently visited Wisconsin and walked away impressed
Related: Where Wisconsin basketball ranks in each database after the addition of Baboucarr Ann
Kelly didn't have a Wisconsin offer until his visit to Madison last week. After seeing him in person and Gard getting to know the type of person Kelly is, Gard was quick to pull the trigger on an offer. Kelly is a tremendous talent, but Gard has specific types of personalities he is looking for, too. Clearly, Kelly was able to check both boxes.
Kelly plays high school basketball at Neuqua Valley in Naperville, Illinois, and is 6'6 and closing in on 200 pounds. He has a good shooter's touch and an explosion to the hoop that Gard loves to have in his offense.
Kelly doesn't seem to be anywhere near choosing a team and continues to pick up offers every week. It will be a battle down the stretch for his services, but Gard was smart to enter into his recruiting early in the 2028 window. There's a lot of promise and potential in Kelly's game, and another couple of seasons under his belt in high school could see him as a top college player as a freshman.
Read also: Greg Gard lands another top-100 recruit in a major steal from the state of Minnesota
Gard is on a bit of a heater lately with his recruiting. He's picked up commitments from three players in the 2027 class, each an incredible talent and potential. 4-star in-state Jalen Brown was the first to pledge to the Badgers. He's even talked about how he wants to be the "hometown" hero. Wisconsin then added a commitment from 7-footer and 3-star center Jack Thelen. Yesterday, Gard most likely completed the class with 4-star wing Baboucarr Ann, the No. 1 player in Minnesota.
This 2027 is one of the best classes that Gard has ever brought in, with two top-100 players in the fold. Now, as the 2028 contact period has opened, he's working on keeping that momentum going for next year's class. While there are only a few recruits added in each class in basketball (unlike football), Gard needs to maximize each one. Kelly is a great one to try to bring to Madison.
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