Greg Gard's Tough Love With Connor Essegian Has Paid Off

The Badgers sophomore guard has earned more playing time.

To say things haven't gone as expected for Connor Essegian in his sophomore season with the Wisconsin basketball program would be an understatement. 

After suffering an injury in the Wisconsin Badgers season opener, the former All-Big Ten Freshman pick went from playing just over 27 minutes per game and pouring in 11.7 points a night to scratching and clawing his way back into the rotation on a short leash by head coach Greg Gard. 

The 6-foot-4 guard saw limited minutes in each game after the injury but failed to perform at his usual level. His smooth three-point shooting, his calling card, didn't translate into results. In the first month of the season, Essegian struggled, shooting only 18.8% from beyond the arc.

His injury—and lack of production opened the door for freshman combo guard John Blackwell to get some extended run, where he quickly earned the trust of his head coach on both ends of the floor. Additionally, Kamari McGee, when healthy, has been impactful on defense. Not to mention, AJ Storr had a starting role on the wing locked up. 

Minutes in the Badgers rotation suddenly became sparse due to the improved backcourt depth. With Esseigan not being known for his defensive prowess, his case for playing time was a tough one to make. 

But Essegian kept a positive attitude, accepted Gard's tough love, and positioned himself as a key contributor off the bench for the Wisconsin basketball team down the stretch. 

Connor Essegian Continues Earning More Playing Time

Since the Badgers calendar year flipped to 2024 and the program resumed Big Ten conference play, something has clicked for Wisconsin basketball shooting guard Connor Essegian.