The college football season is in full swing for better or worse when it comes to Wisconsin, mostly, for the worse. The good news is that basketball starts tonight as the Badgers take on Campbell in the season opener. There are also some fun former Badgers to watch in the G-League now. Oh, speaking of former players, let's start with Luke Fickell's relationship with former Badgers.
Luke Fickell doesn't provide a welcoming home for former Badgers
The big news during the bye week for Wisconsin football was Collin Wilder coming on ESPN Madison, saying that one of the frustrations with Luke Fickell is his reception of former players. He said it's not that they aren't allowed; they just aren't exactly welcome. Fickell isn't building bridges to former players and is mostly ignoring them. This is concerning, given all the news coming out about Brian Kelly's time at LSU.
The Badgers take on the Washington Huskies this week and are 11.5 underdogs to start the week.
Greg Gard has missed on two in-state recruits in the last week
In the same week, both Dooney Johnson, one of the top basketball players in Wisconsin for 2027, and Vaughn Karvala, a top player in the 2026 class, announced commitments to programs outside the state. While Karvala is now in Arizona doing prep school, he hails from Oregon, Wisconsin. Johnson plays basketball in Milwaukee.
Johnson has committed to Gonzaga, while Karvala is off to Indiana. Greg Gard can't keep every in-state player home, as the talent is fairly strong; it's a double miss for the Badgers.
3 former Badgers are all on the same G-League squad for this year
The Utah Jazz drafted John Tonje in the second round of last year's draft and signed him to a two-way contract. Which, for now, means he will start the year playing for the Salt Lake City Stars (G-League for the Jazz). However, to make him feel more at home (maybe or it was just a coincidence), the Stars signed Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit to the squad.
Crowl even seemed to have an impressive debut in a relatively secret preseason game the other night.