Wisconsin basketball recruiting notebook: Official visitor, 2027 offer, and more
The Wisconsin Badgers basketball team had an official visitor in the 2026 class on hand for the win over Arizona, made a new offer in the 2027 class, and more.
Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers just pulled off an electrifying 103-88 upset over No. 9 Arizona at the Kohl Center—a night that also saw Bo Ryan’s banner raised to the rafters and the program’s back-to-back Final Four teams were honored. Safe to say, it wasn’t a bad night to have a few big-time recruits in the building when the fans stormed the court.
“We had all of the former players around in the locker room, and so they could see the past and the history of our program. Our former players love being around our guys," Gard told reporters.
"They are their biggest fans."
With momentum building on the court for coach Gard and the 4-0 Badgers and recruiting efforts ramping up, now feels like the perfect time to dive into everything Wisconsin men’s basketball.
Let’s get into it…
DeZhon Hall recaps official visit to Wisconsin
DeZhon Hall, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound three-star point guard in the class of 2026, returned to Wisconsin for an official visit.
For Hall, the Kohl Center's atmosphere left the biggest impression.
"I would say the whole environment of the game," Hall said, reflecting on what caught his attention during the visit. "It was a sold-out crowd, high-level intensity, with high-level players. It was definitely the best college basketball environment I have been in so far. The crowd storming the court was also pretty cool."
Hall, who made the move to South Carolina to attend prep school at Legacy Early College for his junior season, ranks as the No. 137 overall player and the No. 17 point guard in this cycle, per the composite. He holds scholarship offers from the Badgers, Illinois, Texas A&M, IU Indy, Miami (Ohio), and Ohio University.
"I met with academic advisors, the strength and conditioning coach and we also ate lunch at the Nitty Gritty," Hall told Badgernotes. "We had a great time at the game. Then, this morning, the family and I had breakfast with coach Reef [Chambliss], and then I met with coach Gard. We had a great meeting and then watched practice."
Hall’s visit to campus wasn’t just about the game-day experience; it was also an opportunity to get a closer look at the program’s culture and values. From spending time with the staff to seeing the team in action, he came away impressed with what Wisconsin represents.
"The coaches are about business, but they also care for the players on and off the court. All of the players get along great. It’s a family environment."
Hall doesn’t have a set timeline for his commitment, but he’s intent on making the right choice when the time feels right for him and his family. For now, the Wisconsin Badgers have one commitment in the 2026 recruiting class from in-state forward LaTrevion Fenderson.
Badgers offer 2027 guard Dooney Johnson
Among the notable visitors on hand for the Badgers win over Arizona was Milwaukee (Wis.) guard Dooney Johnson, arguably the top-ranked player in Wisconsin’s 2027 in-state class.
The Badgers didn’t just notch a historic win—they also extended a scholarship offer to the standout sophomore wing.
“After talking to Coach Greg Gard yesterday, I’m blessed to receive an offer from the University of Wisconsin," Dooney wrote in a social media post.”
The 6-foot-5, 185-pound wing is the son of former Oklahoma State and UW-Milwaukee star Torre Johnson and has been on the Badgers' radar for some time. Johnson first caught the staff’s attention as an eighth-grader at the Wisconsin basketball team's advanced camp, where he made quite the impression.
Since then, assistant coach Sharif Chambliss has been in steady communication with Johnson and has been his primary recruiter.
After the game, coach Gard and the Wisconsin staff made it official. They extended an offer to Johnson, joining Marquette, Cincinnati, Missouri, Nebraska, SMU, Bryant, Western Illinois, and McNeese State, among others.
Johnson is a prolific scorer who averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists per game as a freshman at Milwaukee Juneau. Johnson joins Ty Schlagel and Donovan Davis as the only players UW’s staff has offered in the 2027 class.
Donovan Davis was on hand for the Arizona upset
Over the summer, Freedom (Wis.) 2027 forward Donovan Davis made a strong impression at Wisconsin’s Advanced Camp and earned his first scholarship offer from Greg Gard and Sharif Chambliss.
Davis, a 6-foot-7, 205-pound forward who plays for Team Herro on the AAU circuit, returned to Madison on Friday for an unofficial game day visit during the Badgers upset of No. 9 Arizona.
“It was a very good game,” Davis told Badgernotes. “There was a lot of energy and excitement. I was in the locker room after the game and was able to hear some of coach Gard’s speech to the team. I also talked to some of the other coaches.”
As a freshman at Freedom High School, Davis put up impressive numbers, averaging 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 steals per game while shooting 63% from the field and 43% from three-point range. Widely regarded as one of the top players for the 2027 in-state class, Davis also holds an early offer from Iowa State and will be a name to watch.
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