Wisconsin MBB Landed Daniel Freitag on Foundation of Loyalty
Like Giannis Antetokounmpo — Badgers commit Daniel Freitag has loyalty inside his DNA.
Greg Gard and the Wisconsin basketball coaching staff focused on recruiting one point guard for the 2024 class, Daniel Freitag. Luckily, their efforts proved fruitful as they secured their top-of-the-board target without extending their search further.
Freitag, a four-star point guard and talented dual-sport athlete hailing from Bloomington, Minnesota, was arguably the most significant backcourt recruiting victory of the Gard era. He chose UW after weighing offers from a final selection of schools, which included Minnesota, Baylor, Notre Dame, and Virginia.
"He [Freitag] is somebody we honed it on early," Coach Gard said during his weekly radio show appearance. "Coach Krabbenhoft, did a phenomenal job on the recruiting, and, you know, I got involved relatively early with him and really developed a great relationship."
When Chucky Hepburn graduates, the Wisconsin Basketball coaching staff envisions Freitag as the heir apparent at point guard.
If nothing changes, that would allow the 6-foot-3, 175-pound PG an entire season to develop behind Hepburn as an understudy before (presumably) assuming the starting reigns in year two.
Badgers Coaches Showed Loyalty Throughout the Recruiting Process
Identifying recruits who eventually garner significant Power 5 interest early in the process isn't anything new to Greg Gard. He's considered one of the better talent evaluators by his colleagues — but closing those recruitments before the bigger programs come knocking has been a valid qualm among the fanbase.