Wisconsin is already back to practices and getting reps in during this offseason. June begins a critical time of install and getting team chemistry going. It's also a time to learn about what players have been up to in the offseason. Nolan Winter revealed he had surgery shortly after the season for his right ankle, an issue that's bothered him since high school.
Immediately, fans will jump back to the time he went down hard and hurt his ankle against Maryland, which cost him a few games and really wasn't a 100% the rest of the way. However, Winter said the surgery wasn't to repair that specific ankle but the other one. Unrelated issue that's bothered him for years. "Just tighten some things, repair some things...it's been an ongoing thing where I'm rolling it a lot...It's more of a preventative thing."
Winter said he desired to get it done so he could have a big senior year and have pro aspirations. He doesn't want the ankle to be a problem that prevents him from having the senior season he envisions. As for his timeline for recovery? He's already back to doing "on-court stuff" and says he was only down a couple of months total.
Story on #Badgers star 7-footer Nolan Winter receiving surgery on his right ankle this offseason: https://t.co/YpGmvxCbSe pic.twitter.com/ojTQk07zcJ
— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) June 22, 2026
Nolan Winter says his ankle surgery will help him in a preventative way going forward
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Each season, Wisconsin has relied more and more on Winter. His freshman year, he only saw 9.4 minutes per game; that usage went up as a sophomore to 21.1, and finally last season, he was at 30.7. As a junior, he was a featured part of both the Badger offense and defense. This season, the plan is that Winter will even take another step. It may not be in minutes per game (there aren't many more to offer), but his 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game from last season have left some meat on the bone for his final season.
Winter has also been very expressive of his desire to be in the NBA, and this year will determine a lot when it comes to what that could look like. It makes sense to tighten things up and get a surgery for an issue that's bothered him for years now.
It was rumored that he had this surgery back in April. A picture circulated online of him with his teammates at the Buckinghams and he was clearly wearing a boot and pushing around on a scooter. Yet, you couldn't tell from the picture which foot it was. This led to speculation that it was the left ankle that he injured against Maryland. It was known he was playing through some pain in the NCAA Tournament. However, it turns out that it was for the right ankle.
He now has both ankles feeling better and ready to go for the pivotal 2026 season. Wisconsin needs a big year from the big man, and Winter needs healthy ankles to make it happen.
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