Wisconsin, Greg Gard still has hope with elite in-state 2027 recruits

On May 6th, Wisconsin Badger basketball fans were given news that has become all too familiar, as once again, a top in-state recruit, Donovan Davis, was poached by TJ Otzelberger and the Iowa State Cyclones. This announcement has once again lit the fire underneath the ongoing criticism revolving around head coach Greg Gard's lack of success in in-state recruiting. Gard has never been able to land the top-ranked in-state player of any given class and has yet to secure any Wisconsin player ranked inside the top-100 composite rankings.

Davis, the second-ranked player in the state, marked the second big recruiting loss for the Badgers in the 2027 class, as top-ranked player Dooney Johnson already announced his commitment to Gonzaga. However, hope is not lost, as the ‘27 recruiting class will still provide a great opportunity for Gard to snag a couple of top-ranked guys who remain available.

Hot in Pursuit

Although there is no official announcement regarding where Wisconsin stands, rumors suggest that the Badgers are very much in the mix for four players at the top of the in-state recruiting class. Those four players are Jack Kohnen, Jalen Brown, Kager Knueppel and Deuce McDuffie. Obviously Wisconsin won’t be able to land all four, but just getting one or two could mean big things for the future of the program.

The Badgers seem most connected to McDuffie and Brown as of now, both of whom are long, athletic guards who could provide real scoring and defensive upside for the team the second they land on campus. Kohnen’s recruitment has picked up a bit of momentum recently as well, with most signs pointing to the Badgers being firmly in the mix to land the 6-foot-6 wing.

Wildcard

Knueppel seems to be the wildcard for Wisconsin in the ‘27 class, with his recruitment being both the most lucrative and the most under wraps. Badger fans seem to be very interested in his talent, more so than some of the other players available, despite Knueppel being less acclaimed on the national circuit than the three others previously mentioned. This notion has likely been formed because of his older brother, Kon Knueppel, who was another huge in-state loss for Gard not too long ago and has taken the NBA by storm in just his rookie season.

Wisconsin would, of course, be over the moon to land Kager, as bringing in any player with his skillset and acclaim would be a massive get for the team. However, it seems as if the Badgers aren’t as interested in pursuing him as they are Kohnen, Brown and McDuffie, especially since the announcement of Duke getting involved in his recruitment.

Either way, Gard, Joe Krabbenhoft and the rest of the Wisconsin recruiting staff will have their work cut out for them in hopes of landing a couple of top-end names in one of Wisconsin’s hottest crops of talent in recent memory.

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