Top Five Questions We Would All Love to Ask Greg Gard

A lot of times the answers we want to know about our teams are shrouded in the infamous "Coach Speak." In this scenario we gave Badgers' head coach Greg Gard some truth serum and asked him all our burning questions.

1. Did the transfer portal go how you had hoped?

Obviously Gard would have liked to keep AJ Storr, Chucky Hepburn and others, but did he land his top targets? The three transfers of Camren Hunter, Xavier Amos and John Tonje haven't played a minute for the Badgers yet, so it's too early to judge them, but were they Plan A, Plan B or Plan Z for Gard? I'm guessing he'd probably tell you these were the second tier of players behind the likes of Michigan State commit Frankie Fidler, Kentucky's newly aquired Koby Brea and several others, but it's all about rolling with the punches and the Badgers will have to play the hand they were dealt.

2. How hot is your seat?

After a disappointing exit in the NCAA Tournament and losing two of the team's best players in the portal, many fans called for Gard's head, but how hot is his seat really? Gard would probably tell you that Wisconsin has high hopes for 2024, but his seat isn't warm - not yet. But having another year without post-season success this upcoming season and the temperature probably gets turned all the way up to where fans thought it should've been this spring.

3. Is your staff really built to win?

It's no secret that pretty much every assistant on the Badger bench was a former player. Kirk Penney, Shariff Chambliss, Joe Krabbenhoft and newly added Greg Stiemsma all played for Wisconsin. It's not the worst thing in the world, but is the coaching staff diverse enough to handle the new landscape of college basketball? I'd venture to say that Gard would admit he's a little stubborn about adopting the new ways of NIL and recruiting, and that Wisconsin could probably benefit from a true recruiting outsider.

4. Will team chemistry be an issue in 2024-25?

For a team that will feature at least three new starters, there will be some concern, especially early, about how the team will mesh. It's particularly worrying since last year's tight-knit team already struggled with defensive mishaps and communication lapses. Gard would probably acknowledge the Badgers will be a work in progress for the much of the non-conference schedule, so don't be surprised with a slow start.

5. How bright is the future of Wisconsin basketball?

The Badgers' 2025 class is already strong and could get even stronger in September, and there's a lot to like about freshman Daniel Freitag. So how does Gard honestly feel about the future of the team? As long as the he can get through what might be a tough 2024-25, the Badgers could enjoy their best teams in the Gard-era in 2025 and 2026. Transfers and the portal are always a wild card, but from a recruiting standpoint I think there's a lot that he and fans can be excited about.