3 Takeaways From Greg Gard's Preseason Press Conference
Madison, Wis. - On Wednesday, Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard sat down for his first preseason press conference of the 2022-23 season.
Stop me if you've heard this before. The Wisconsin men's basketball program is in the middle of a transition year following the departures of Big Ten Player of the Year, Johnny Davis, and long-time contributor Brad Davison. You can also add several offseason transfers and reserve big man Chris Vogt to that group - leaving plenty of questions heading into the new campaign.
However, the program addressed a few of the roster's immediate needs through the transfer portal, adding Wofford shooting guard Max Klesmit and UW-Green Bay point guard Kamari McGee.
With the returning trio of Chucky Hepburn and Tyler Wahl, who are preseason All-Big Ten picks, and Steven Crowl, Wisconsin has a strong nucleus they can build around for the upcoming season.
In no specific order, here are three takeaways from coach Gard's preseason press conference.
Steven Crowl adds some much-needed weight
As a sophomore, Badgers center Steven Crowl went from a lightly used big man to a starter in his second year with the program.
In 33 games, the 7-footer averaged a respectable 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 49.6% shooting from the field.
His biggest knock? He desperately needed to add some weight. Now, it's been reported that Crowl has gained more than 10-pounds during the offseason and sits in the low 240s. His weight gain should make a sizeable difference in the low post and on defense.
"He's more confident. I think the thing that ignited the confidence for him is he's bigger," Gard said. "The strength is important, but it's the confidence that comes with being bigger. He feels good about himself physically. He can impose his will on the post. He's been hard to handle."
Big Steve will be a significant contributor to the Badgers this season. His physical maturation might be all he needed to propel himself towards a breakout, All-Big Ten type of junior season.
Versatility will define this year's Wisconsin team
Wisconsin swung and missed in the transfer portal, looking for a big man to replace Chris Vogt. In 2022-23, UW will proceed with just one "center" option behind Crowl - redshirt freshman Chris Hodges.
Coach Gard didn't seem concerned when asked about the team's lack of a traditional "5" off the bench. Instead, he praised the growth of Hodges and mentioned that the team would utilize its versatility on defense to its advantage.
This statement from Gard suggests we'll see variations of players like Crowl, Wahl, Ilver, Gilmore, and Hodges handling those spots and playing less conventionally on defense.
In an age of position-less basketball, this is becoming more common. However, UW could find itself in a tough spot if injuries occur or Hodges isn't ready to contribute.
Only time will tell if the failure to add another big will plague this team, but right now, the Wisconsin coaching staff appears comfortable rolling with the punches.
Chucky Hepburn is ready for the big stage
Chucky Hepburn started all 33 games for the Badgers and provided a steady presence at the point that you don't typically see from a true freshman.
On the season, the Nebraska native averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals in just over 30 minutes per game.
Coach Gard's expectations are understandably high for the program's sophomore floor general in his second year.
"Brad and Johnny, they did so much last year, but Chucky also did a lot. Now, he has to elevate his game. His importance goes up with those guys leaving. I think the biggest increased role for him is more on leadership. You lose a Brad, lose a Johnny, in those moments when we need to get a great shot, as point guard, you've gotta make sure we get a great shot. When we need a stop, you gotta make sure we get that stop."
Tabbed as a preseason All-Big Ten pick, Hepburn needs to take a step forward and shoulder some of the scoring load in what many are projecting to be a balanced scoring attack.
Already one of the best young point guards in the Big Ten, Hepburn is arguably the most important player on the Wisconsin Badgers entering 2022-23.
You can watch the entire press conference in the video below, courtesy of UW athletics: