The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball has been put through the offseason ringer, losing its two leading scorers from last season in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, along with some other depth pieces. However, multiple Badgers chose to remain loyal, staying put in Madison, with the most prevalent being forward Nolan Winter. Despite being offered opportunities elsewhere that likely would’ve lined his pockets sweeter than what Wisconsin could offer, Winter chose to stay home and finish his college career where it started.
As for what went into his decision, Winter revealed just that in a recent interview, highlighting why he wanted to stay put. “I want to be a Badger,” Winter said, “and do anything you can to make sure that's possible.” He made it clear from the jump to the people around him that his top priority was to stay in Wisconsin, and he did just that.
Nolan Winter to his agents: "I want to be a Badger, and do anything you can to make sure that's possible."#Badgers pic.twitter.com/j2wLTlR9Ne
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) April 27, 2026
But staying put wasn’t his only option. Especially in today's landscape in college basketball, the big man position is more lucrative and sought out than ever, making players like Winter all the more sought after.
“It’s hard to not hear what other teams have to say and offer,” Winter said. “But like I keep saying, I’m super thankful that my agents made this process super easy for me and they laid out all the options I had or what I could do, and I told them this is where I wanna be.”
To put it simply, Winter is grateful for the opportunity he has been given in Madison and, in return, feels there is no better place to be than right where he is. Over his tenure in Wisconsin, the 7-foot big man has seen steady growth in production and role, taking a huge leap from his sophomore to junior season.
Now approaching his final season with the team, head coach Greg Gard, along with the rest of the Badgers staff and players, will once again ask Winter to take a leap. Whether he will be able to do so and lead this team to the places they want to go is a debate for another day. As for now, Wisconsin and basketball fans alike should applaud the loyalty of one of college basketball’s better big men.
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