Wisconsin basketball lands stretch big Austin Rapp from the transfer portal

Wisconsin basketball adds stretch big Austin Rapp from the portal. A knockdown shooter, Rapp brings size and versatility to the Badgers frontcourt.

The Wisconsin Badgers coaching staff is working to replenish its frontcourt depth, and they just added a transfer piece that fits their offensive system like a glove.

Austin Rapp, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Portland and the reigning West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, has committed to Wisconsin.

The Aussie big man chose the Badgers over serious interest from Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, and Clemson, among others.

"I couldn't be more excited to become a Wisconsin Badger," Rapp shared in a statement. "I've grown up watching basketball and remember watching the Frank Kaminsky Final Four team at Wisconsin. I've always dreamed about playing for a successful and winning program and there couldn't get one better than Wisconsin. The culture, the coaches, the fans and even the culture around the city of Madison is incredible. I can't wait to join Wisconsin and help this program."

Rapp will arrive in Madison with three years of college eligibility remaining.

tiptonedits

A post shared by @tiptonedits

This is a calculated addition that speaks directly to how Greg Gard and Kirk Penney want to continue evolving the offense. The staff isn’t abandoning defense by any means, but they’re clearly leaning further into their offensive philosophy—prioritizing floor spacing, positional versatility, and shooting in a way that reflects where the game is headed.

"We're excited to add Austin to the Badger family," Gard said. "He's a big-time shooter at the stretch-4 position and will fit really well with how we play and who we are as a program. He's a highly-skilled big man and he showed that in winning Freshman of the Year in a good conference last season.

“We have a lot of mutual connections with Austin and all of our conversations centered on how well he fits Wisconsin and how well Wisconsin fits him."

Rapp brings with him a very specific skill set: size and shooting.

The freshman forward knocked down 83 threes last season, hitting 35.2% from beyond the arc on high volume.

That number wasn’t just good—it led the entire WCC and ranked second among all freshmen in the country. He averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game across 31 appearances.

And it wasn’t all fluff—Rapp showed up in big games, scoring 24 and 22 points in two matchups against Oregon State and 16 against Gonzaga—all of whom were considered top 100 teams, per KenPom.

That shooting upside is what jumps off the page—but there’s more to his game than just spacing the floor. Rapp is a capable ball-handler, a willing passer, and has nice movement skills for a guy his size.

He’s the kind of forward who can slip out of a pick-and-roll, put the ball on the deck, and either finish or kick to the corner. Rapp made 58.6% of his shots at the rim as a freshman, per BartTorvik, and if he trims down some of the lower-efficiency midrange jumpers he took last year, his numbers could soar even higher in Wisconsin’s analytically-driven system.

Rapp posted a 1.4 points above replacement per game mark and a 98.0 offensive rating—a respectable baseline for a stretch forward just scratching the surface. He recorded a 15.3% assist rate, not far off from Steven Crowl’s 18.2%, giving Wisconsin a way to replace some of that playmaking from the low post.

On the other end, Rapp’s 4.7% block rate would’ve led all of Wisconsin’s rotational players. And from a situational standpoint, Rapp graded out in the 71st percentile as a catch-and-shoot player (1.04 points per possession) and averaged 1.03 PPP in transition—an encouraging sign for how he might thrive in a more up-tempo, free-flowing Badgers offense.

Put simply: he’s a stretch big—and a modern offensive chess piece.

Rapp isn’t just a shooter who camps out on the perimeter—he’s got a little more to his offensive bag than that. Because defenses have to respect his jumper, he can use the threat of his shot to attack closeouts, beat guys off the dribble, and keep the offense flowing. He’s a willing passer who sees the floor well, and his ability to create for others is one of the more underrated aspects of his game.

There’s real playmaking potential here, especially in a system that rewards quick decisions and ball movement.

That’s music to this staff’s ears. Kirk Penney’s offensive system values non-stop movement, quick reads, and unselfishness. Wisconsin doesn’t just want bigs who can shoot—they want bigs who can make plays for others, stay connected to the rhythm of the offense, and keep defenses honest. That’s what Rapp brings—and with several years of eligibility remaining, he’ll have time to grow into an even more complete player under this coaching staff.

And if you’re Coach Gard, you’ve got to be excited about the pick-and-pop potential between Rapp and returning big Nolan Winter—two frontcourt players who both shot better than 35% from three last season. Winter’s ascension as a floor-spacer and versatile scorer gives the Badgers a budding star at the four. Pairing him with Rapp at the five in certain lineups would give Wisconsin spacing at every position and plenty of floor spacing.

There’s still work to be done. Wisconsin is still in the market for a more traditional center—someone who can bring rim protection, rebounding chops, and the physicality to handle the Big Ten grind.

Rapp isn’t necessarily that guy.

He’s a good—not great—rebounder, and while he blocked shots at a respectable rate (12 games with two or more blocks), Rapp will need to keep developing his strength and physicality inside.

But make no mistake—what Rapp brings is unique. He’s one of the best movement shooters in the country among bigs, with the kind of fluidity and coordination that allows him to fly off screens and knock down threes at volume. He’s not an elite athlete, but he’s plenty mobile and moves like a wing when he’s navigating the perimeter. His defense is ahead of the curve for a freshman, and he creates plenty of matchup problems offensively.

That’s what makes this such a smart add. Rapp’s strengths amplify what Wisconsin does well. And his areas of growth—rebounding, post presence—can be developed over time or augmented with another transfer portal addition.

This staff deserves credit. They identified a transfer forward who fits their style of play, pursued him aggressively, and closed the deal over several other high-major programs. Wisconsin’s offensive success—finishing top-20 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency in back-to-back seasons—has become a real selling point in the portal, and with improved NIL resources, they had all the tools needed to seal the deal.

And don’t forget—Rapp becomes the second portal addition for Wisconsin this offseason, joining Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde. That duo injects size, shooting, and floor vision into both the frontcourt and backcourt, giving the Badgers staff an infusion of experience and talent.

With John Blackwell still weighing his NBA Draft decision—and both Winter and Jack Janicki officially returning, the Badgers roster is beginning to take shape now that Wisconsin men’s basketball has landed Rohde and Rapp through the portal.

If Xavier Amos can take another step forward, that adds yet another layer of versatility to the rotation. Further down the depth chart, Italian center Riccardo Greppi is a name to monitor if he stays. The 6-foot-10 big is still developing, with strength and conditioning as a major focus this offseason if he wants to see the floor.

And the Wisconsin Badgers will also welcome Middleton standout Will Garlock to campus this summer—a 2025 high school signee who brings size, rebounding, and a touch of rim protection.

Little by little, the Badgers frontcourt puzzle is coming together.

What’s next? Likely a plug-and-play starting point guard and a true center to round out the rotation. But this move was about more than just adding a shooter. It was about identifying a fit, leaning into a system, and finding guys who want to be a part of what Wisconsin is becoming.

Rapp isn’t just a depth pickup—he’s viewed by the staff as someone who can step into a meaningful role for Wisconsin right away, with real upside and the kind of offensive skill set that could help him grow into something much more down the road.

---

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.