Earlier this spring, John Blackwell announced he would be declaring for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He also emphasized that if he were to return to the college ranks, it would be for Wisconsin and no one else. Well, after months of workouts and training, Blackwell has finally made his decision.
Just before the deadline, Blackwell has announced that he will pass on the NBA for now and return to Wisconsin for another season.
This is huge news for the Badgers, who would be left with a major hole if Blackwell were to to leave. Last season as a sophomore, he averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for a Wisconsin team that exceeded all preseason expectations. He is expected to be one of Gard's best and most reliable players in 2025.
While Blackwell did have some workouts with teams like the Portland TrailBlazers and Milwaukee Bucks, it most likely wasn't enough to boost his stock into a draftable position. With a strong offensive game and ability to score from anywhere, NBA teams were surely intrigued by the young prospect. But ultimately they must have decided Blackwell need to refine his game even further. Blackwell was outside of the Top 100 in most NBA Draft boards.
He'll almost certainly enter his name next year again, with a much better chance at getting drafting, but for now, he's back for another run at Wisconsin. The Badgers are now almost set with thier roster, but still need to fill a 15th and final spot, most likely with another transfer. But getting Blackwell back is some of the best news this team could have gotten for another quest at a deep tournament run.