One of, if not the single biggest piece of the Wisconsin Badgers' offseason was landing guard Owen Foxwell, poaching him from the NBL – and LSU – and giving him his chance to prove himself stateside. The 22-year-old guard has proven more than capable of holding his own, and even thriving, at the professional level, evident by his tenure in the NBL. But some have had rightful questions as to how he will translate to the college game.
Even though Foxwell has experience playing against the kind of grown-man physicality that the Big Ten will provide, the uptick in athleticism and pace could give him problems in his early days. Luckily, Foxwell knows what he excels at and, even more importantly, he knows what he doesn't.
“My finishing around the rim is going to be the biggest step for me. It's what I'm working on at the moment,” Foxwell said. “My touch around the basket, especially against more athletic players, I think that's an area that I can really grow.”
Number 15: Owen Foxwell
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) July 14, 2026
The Badger point guard arrives in Madison after starring for the South East Melbourne Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/WaVChxuldM
Knowing what your flaws are is one thing, improving on them is another. For a guy like Foxwell, who isn't the most physically or athletically gifted, understanding what your flaws are and how to mask them is pivotal, so it's refreshing and encouraging to see him do such.
Foxwell's Next Step
But Foxwell wasn't just brought in to be a scorer. In fact, a fair argument can be made that he wasn't brought in to do that. For his entire career prior to Wisconsin, Foxwell has been a pass-first guy, thriving off of the opportunities he creates rather than the ones he finishes. In order to properly do so, Foxwell needs to build chemistry with those around him, particularly his bigs.
Owen Foxwell is going to be a really solid addition for Wisconsin.
— JPR (@Scouting_Col) July 2, 2026
A productive NBL starter who plays under control, creates offense, and makes the right reads. He may not have elite upside, but he’ll help the Badgers win. pic.twitter.com/zrNMLFnBLP
“I'm kind of used to playing with those traditional rolling guys. Back home there is always at least one on a group,” Foxwell said. “I've gotten heaps of opportunities to learn from playing with those guys.”
In totality, Badger fans have a lot to look forward to with Foxwell. His skill set is unique and one that Wisconsin hasn't had the luxury of having in a couple years, along with him being a guy who is easy to root for and get behind. Ultimately, how he translates to the Big Ten will be a question unanswered until the season rolls around, but in the meantime, it's fun to build some hype.
The odds of Foxwell being a complete bust in Madison are far from likely and something no Wisconsin fan should expect. However, on that same note, the odds of him replicating the kind of seasons that Wisconsin stars of the past have had are too unfair of an expectation. Where he will actually land is likely somewhere in the middle, but with the right improvements, the sky is the limit.
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