The futures of John Blackwell and Nolan Winter are still unknown for now, but Wisconsin already has one win before the transfer portal.
Austin Rapp announced he'd be back at Wisconsin shortly after the NCAA Tournament loss to High Point, and he could end up being the Badgers' secret weapon in 2026.
After a hot start as a starter, Rapp stumbled a bit in the middle of the season. He struggled on the floor, dealt with a sickness, and eventually lost his spot as a starter. Coming of the bench for most of the remainder of the season, it seemed fair to assume Rapp would go his separate way in 2026, but his return already could mean big things for Wisconsin.
Austin Rapp is an underreted transfer portal win after his return announcement
Over his last two games this season, Rapp averaged 14 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and from three. It felt like he was just starting to get back into rhythm before the season abruptly came to an end. He scored double-digits 14 times for Wisconsin last year, and at times, made it look effortless. Regardless, of what Winter ends up doing, it's clear that Rapp will have a big role with the Badgers once again.
Wisconsin will need to target a point guard in the portal, as well as wing and maybe even another big. But if Rapp can return to form, those burdens are eased, and a Blackwell/Winter dual return would mean Wisconsin may only need to find one starter through the portal--an easy lift for head coach Greg Gard.
As most teams scramble to retain up-and-coming talent, Rapp has already aligned himself with the Badgers for another year. It's not to hard to see how 2026 could be even better for the Australian. There's no question his offense will follow him into next season, but another under Gard could boost his defense as well. Rapp may very well be a starter once again for Gard come next year.