Wisconsin men's basketball forward Chris Hodges enters the transfer portal
After four seasons in the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program, forward Chris Hodges has entered the transfer portal.
Another domino has fallen for the Wisconsin men’s basketball program. A new player is on the way out and a valuable scholarship spot is now open.
Reserve forward Chris Hodges has entered the transfer portal, becoming the third Wisconsin player to explore other opportunities since the season ended.
The 6-foot-9 Schaumburg, Illinois, native spent four years with the program and will look to use his final season of eligibility elsewhere—presumably at lower level.
“These past four years at UW–Madison have been nothing short of life-changing," Hodges wrote in a goodbye post.
"I’ve grown not only as an athlete but as a person. Madison will always have a place in my heart. I’ve made countless memories here, learned so many life lessons, and built relationships that will stay with me forever. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, family, and best friend for all the support that you’ve given me along the way. I’ll always be grateful for the journey.
“After much thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal for my last year of eligibility. I’m looking forward to the next chapter, but I’m proud that I was able to be a part of Badger Nation.”
Hodges was a redshirt junior this past season and originally committed to Wisconsin back in the 2021 class as a three-star prospect. He chose the Badgers over offers from DePaul, Loyola Chicago, Miami (OH), and Rutgers. He redshirted his first year on campus during the 2021-22 Big Ten title season and went on to appear in 40 games in his career.
But in a program that rarely dips deep into its bench, Hodges was never able to develop enough to crack the rotation. He logged just 66 total minutes in his Badger career, finishing with four points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal, and four blocks—while shooting 1-of-10 from the field and 2-of-8 at the free throw line. His minute totals actually declined over time—going from 30 as a redshirt freshman to 21, then just 15 this past season.
The timing makes sense.
With only one year of eligibility left, it’s reasonable for Hodges to seek a place where he can play a larger role and make the most of his final opportunity.
His exit follows guards Daniel Freitag and Camren Hunter into the portal, coming on the heels of another first-weekend NCAA Tournament exit and a wave of seniors exhausting their eligibility—John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore, Steven Crowl, and Markus Ilver.
What does this mean for Wisconsin moving forward?
The Badgers coaching staff is navigating this offseason with the new NCAA roster limits in mind. While the proposed revenue-sharing model allows for up to 15 scholarships, Greg Gard has made it clear Wisconsin will stick with 13 scholarship players and two walk-ons—a more sustainable model for a program that typically plays an eight- to nine-man rotation and prefers to invest its resources in impact contributors.
With Hodges’ departure, there are now four open scholarship spots available. The expectation is that Jack Janicki, who carved out a role late in the season, will be awarded one of those scholarships, freeing the staff up to use the rest in the transfer portal. And if things continue trending the way they are, don’t be surprised if a point guard and an in-state product are the next transfer pieces to fall into place.
No surprises here—just another step in what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason for the Wisconsin basketball program.
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