1.) Steven Crowl
Crowl's 2023-24 season was a magic act. He'd be the Badgers offensive engine one game, then disappear the next. Now, Crowl's inconsistency wasn't entirely self-inflicted, as his supporting cast frequently ignored him in the post and often failed to make themselves available when Crowl was met with a double team.
The seven footer's off-games were evened out by Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr, a duo that was a sure bet for offensive production. However, Crowl won't have that crutch to lean on in 2024-25.
Bake into the fact that Wisconsin has three holes to fill in its starting lineup and it's clear Wisconsin will need Crowl to be aggressive and involved offensively every night. In the 23-24 regular season, the Badgers went 7-8 in games Crowl scored fewer than 10 points and went 6-1 when he attempted 10 or more shots.
Crowl's importance to the Badger attack is highlighted by his 2.1 assists per game last season, a total that trailed only Hepburn. In addition to pushing for the team lead in points, Crowl could be the top assist man in 2024-25.
With Crowl expected to shoulder a massive chunk of the offensive production, it's easy to place the senior atop the list of important Badgers.
2.) John Tonje
In my opinion, Tonje is the biggest question mark heading into the new season. It's not because I have little faith in Tonje as a player, but rather how wide his range of outcomes is.
Flatly, Tonje was bad last season with Missouri. And while I have no doubts that the foot injury he suffered in the offseason that never healed was the main reason for his struggles, it's unsettling to see an expected starter put out bad tape.
Before his stint in Missouri, Tonje was one of the better wings in the Mountain West conference and was a key player in Colorado State's 25-6 season in 2021-22, when the Rams were a six seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Additionally, Tonje is entering his sixth collegiate season and will be Wisconsin's most experienced player. As such, he'll need to be a rock on both ends of the floor.
The Omaha, Nebraska native is capable of mimicking Storr's 2023-24 stat line. Though the Badgers would certainly welcome that level of production, it's more imperative that Tonje be a reliable, intelligent piece for a team that is dealing with plenty of roster turnover.
3.) John Blackwell
On the other end of the age spectrum, Blackwell shattered expectations as a true freshman. The guard usurped Connor Essegian and Kamari McGee on the backcourt depth chart early on and settled into a sixth-man role.
The Highland Park, Michigan native averaged 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds on 45/82/46 shooting splits across 18.5 minutes. His eight points per game led all Big 10 players that made single-digit starts. He made a compelling case for the Big 10 Sixth Man of the Year award, which went to Mason Gillis (7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds in the regular season) of Purdue.
A starting role may not be in the cards for Blackwell this season, but that doesn't mean he isn't integral to the Badgers success. The 2024-25 second unit is shaping up to be the best Greg Gard has had in years, and despite the team's excellent depth, they lack top-end talent.
Blackwell has enough talent to develop into an all-league player, and while a sophomore slump or second-year plateau from the guard won't sink the Badgers, he might just be the key to unlocking Wisconsin's championship aspirations.