Five players the Wisconsin Badgers must retain for the 2026-27 season

Wisconsin Badgers will need to replace at least two starters and several rotation players entering the 2026-27 season.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:48pm

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The University of Wisconsin has been thrust into the offseason quicker than it anticipated after a first-round NCAA Tournament loss. The Badgers will now focus on assembling their 2026-27 roster, with head coach Greg Gard and general manager Marc VandeWettering working to retain key players from this past season's team.

Why it matters

Wisconsin is coming off a successful season, winning 15 of their last 20 games and making the NCAA Tournament. However, the early exit has left the Badgers needing to replace at least two starters and several rotation players. Retaining their top talent will be crucial for the program as they look to build on this past season's success.

The details

While UW will likely be active in the transfer portal, the Badgers will spend the next two weeks formalizing who is returning to their current roster. Junior forward Austin Rapp has already announced he's coming back, and the team must now focus on retaining five key players: senior guard John Blackwell, senior center Nolan Winter, sophomore forward Aleksas Bieliauskas, sophomore guard Hayden Jones, and sophomore center Will Garlock.

  • Wisconsin suffered an 83-82 loss to 12th-seeded High Point in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2026.
  • The transfer portal officially opens on April 7, 2026.

The players

John Blackwell

The senior guard was the vocal star of the team, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors and being named to the conference's all-tournament team. He averaged at least 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game this past season.

Nolan Winter

The senior center finished third on the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and was the Badgers' leading rebounder (8.5 rpg). He became only the third Badger since 2000 to have 10+ double-doubles in a single season.

Aleksas Bieliauskas

The sophomore forward took bigger advantage of Winter's absence down the stretch, having a career-high 17 points against Michigan and playing well in the NCAA Tournament loss.

Hayden Jones

The 18-year-old New Zealander sophomore guard spent the season at the back end of Wisconsin's rotation but showed an ability to create shots for himself off the dribble and move well off the ball.

Will Garlock

The sophomore center hasn't had big numbers yet, but the Badgers believe he can be the true rim protector they've been lacking in recent recruiting cycles.

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What they’re saying

“This sucks. I wanted to make a run to a Final Four. It creates great drama and great viewership, but it's a (expletive) ending in terms of how this group has grown. This group deserved to go further. They were good enough to go further.”

— Greg Gard, Head Coach

“Honestly, this is one of the hardest years of my life mentally. These guys took me in and just kept picking me up. I went through a lot. My coaches and everybody just looked out for me. I can't be more thankful for them, and that's why I wanted to win so bad with this team because of all we been through.”

— John Blackwell, Senior Guard

“This wasn't a one-year thing for me. This is a couple-year thing. I want to be here, and I love this group. I love the staff. I love the support staff. … It's kind of a family away from home in a sense.”

— Austin Rapp, Junior Forward

What’s next

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The takeaway

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