The Wisconsin Badgers now have 12 scholarship players. Greg Gard may truly be done in the portal at this point, and it's hard to see another splash with where the roster is now. However, he has room for a couple more if he wants them, and there's still one more starting spot that is up for grabs. Let's dig in.
Right now, the roster has four guards - Owen Foxwell, Zach Kinziger, Trey Autry, and Jackson Ball. Four wings - Eian Elmer, Hayden Jones, Jack Janicki, and LaTrevion Fenderson. Finally, there are four bigs - Nolan Winter, Victory Onuetu, Austin Rapp, and Will Garlock.
The only real problem with this lineup in terms of positional placement is the one and only point guard. However, Greg Gard has gone into seasons with less than even one. He doesn't mind having another guard help carry the point guard duties when the main point guard needs a rest or is in foul trouble.
Wisconsin's starting 5 if the season started today:
PG - Owen Foxwell
SG - Trey Autry
SF - Eian Elmer
PF - Austin Rapp
C - Nolan Winter
Next off the bench: Victory Onuetu, Hayden Jones, Will Garlock, Zach Kinziger, and Jack Janicki.
Without really knowing what Wisconsin is getting fully with Fenderson or Ball, and knowing how Gard typically likes to use freshmen. You can assume those two will be deep bench and/or redshirt candidates.
Related: Greg Gard suddenly has a no-brainer portal target from in-state
It would not surprise to see Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger, or Victory Onuetu push for starting minutes and maybe even find a way to start. It depends on whether Gard trusts Austin Rapp enough to start or continues to use Rapp as a shooter off the bench.
If Gard wants to go with a longer, bigger lineup, which he's been known to do. Don't be surprised to see a starting five of Foxwell, Jones, Elmer, Rapp, and Winter. And if he wants to go with more of a rim-protector lineup, he may even go with Foxwell, Autry, Elmer, Winter, and Onuetu.
The players you can safely assume are starters unless injured are Foxwell, Elmer, and Winter. Rapp, Onuetu, Jones, Autry, and Kinziger should all be given a chance to fight for a spot in the rotation and in the starting lineup.
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