Nolan Winter got injured in the final home game of the season for the Wisconsin Badgers, and while he was able to make it back by the NCAA Tournament, it turns out he wasn't 100%. That injury now looks much more serious than originally reported, as he was seen wearing a walking boot and a walker in a new social media post. It appears Winter may have had surgery on the hurt foot.
Aleksas Bieliauskas, who is no longer a Badger after transferring to South Carolina, posted a photo on social media of the Buckinghams earlier this week. He was surrounded by his teammates, and in the far corner, fans (and journalist Michael McCleary) were quick to notice Winter in a boot.
From Aleksas Bieliauskas’ Instagram: Looks like he and Jack Robison (two of the #Badgers four transfers) attended the Buckinghams on Tuesday night.
— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) April 29, 2026
Nolan Winter appears to have a boot on his foot. The 7-footer injured his left ankle in Wisconsin’s regular season home finale. pic.twitter.com/gNtMHgYoLp
Nolan Winter appears to have had a procedure on his injured foot
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Winter has been doing a bit of a media tour lately after signing his new deal with the Badgers. During this time, the injury didn't come up, but it doesn't appear to be a huge secret either. The suspicion is that while he was able to play through the injury, for it to get back to 100%, he needed a procedure.
The good news is Winter has been talking about his senior season as one of the best yet. He has no plans to miss time, and the offseason is a great time for him to recover and work through his injured foot rehab.
Winter will be a big staple (as he has been in the last few seasons) to the Wisconsin Badgers ' game plan next season, and his recovery from the injury will be paramount.
Fans didn't just notice Winter in the photo; they also noticed how tall Will Garlock looks and how John Blackwell (a player who's been quoted as saying a "Badger for life") was missing. While that may or may not be fair to Blackwell, as Boyd is also missing, it is telling not to see him in this picture, even though he transferred.
Winter is fine, and his recovery is well on the way. The boot looks bad, but it may actually be good news for the Badgers going forward with a 100% Nolan Winter.
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