Wisconsin Men's Basketball Non-Conference Report Card
Greg Gard and the Wisconsin men's basketball team head into Big Ten play with a 10-2 record. Here's UW's non-conference progress report.
Madison, Wis. — Greg Gard and the Wisconsin men's basketball program, picked to finish 9th in the Big Ten preseason rankings by the media, is off to a 10-2 start – and by all accounts, looks like a legitimate contender for a double-bye in the conference tournament.
Let's take a minute to evaluate everyone's play up to this point, using a combination of the eye test, stats, and analytics to hand out grades from the non-conference slate (yes, I know they've played two Big Ten games).
*All grades are relative to individual expectations.
Starting Five
Chucky Hepburn, PG – (B+)
Stats: 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 31.6 minutes per game.
Chucky Hepburn, a preseason second-team All-Big Ten selection, has taken a noticeable step forward after a promising freshman campaign. Without Johnny Davis, the Nebraska native had to take on a more prominent offensive role.
Perhaps the most encouraging development has been Hepburn's three-point shooting (49%). At times, he's been a microwave from beyond the arc. Only time will tell, but the 6-foot-2-point guard appears to be a plus shooter — which pairs quite nicely with being a plus defender.
I'd love to see Hepburn attack the rim more often. According to HoopMath, he's only taking 18.5% of his shots at the cup – and I think Hepburn would become a much more efficient scoring option if he found a way to strike a balance.
Max Klesmit, SG – (A-)
Stats: 6.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 31.3 minutes per game.
Wofford transfer Max Klesmit has been the perfect addition to the program. The 6-foot-2 guard's skillset perfectly complimented the returning players, so he embraced the "glue guy" role and has done whatever it takes to win games.
Klesmit, an in-state product, has the lowest USG rating among UW's starting five (embracing his role) – but has been wildly efficient as a shooter – connecting on 41.9% of his three-point attempts.
According to Barttorvik, Klesmit has the second-highest ORTG (113.9) while averaging more than one point per possession (he's crazy efficient). Given his role, it would be hard to ask Klesmit for anything more than he's giving the Badgers – the kid is a winner.
Jordan Davis, Guard – (B)
Stats: 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 25 minutes per game.
After appearing in 27 games as a lightly-used reserve last season, Jordan Davis has quietly put together a solid season in his first year as a starter.
The La Crosse native has been another low-usage, 3&D option for the Badgers. He's connecting on a respectable 34% of his threes and prevents the offense from getting stagnant by moving well without the ball.
Davis, a 6-foot-4 junior, has made his mark as a rebounder (3rd on the team in DR%) and taking care of the basketball (only two turnovers in 299 minutes played). He doesn't do anything that jumps off the page at you, but that's kind of the point – Davis knows his role, and he's playing it well.
Tyler Wahl, Forward – (B+)
Stats: 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 31.2 minutes per game.
Senior forward Tyler Wahl is the best player on the Wisconsin Badgers – full stop. He's taken his game up a notch and even shown flashes of the ability to take over games in the low post (Kansas). Overall, the field goal percentage is a little lower than you'd like from someone who makes a living within five feet of the rim – but his team-high 31.1 USG rating offers an explanation – he's never been the "go-to" guy before.
My one qualm has been the turnovers. At times, he's playing too fast, leading to avoidable turnovers. Wahl is one of two rotation regulars with more turnovers (35) than assists (24).
The Minnesota native is laughably good on the defensive end and his switchability makes him matchup-proof. In short, Wahl is irreplaceable.
Steven Crowl, Center – (B+)
Stats: 11.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per game.
I don't care what the outside perception has been; Steven Crowl has grown leaps and bounds this season.
After adding some weight in the offseason, the Minnesota native has been more aggressive on low-post touches (I'd still like to see him assert himself more, though) and become a weapon as a facilitator with his back to the basket – leading UW in assists (40).
The 7-footer has also made improvements as a rebounder and on defense, specifically in drop coverage (this one's important).
There is also a legitimate case for Crowl being UW's most valuable player thus far, and the analytics agree. Per Barttorvik.com, Big Steve leads UW in PRPG (3.5), a metric that essentially accounts for how many points a player is worth to a program – relative to a replacement-level option.
Crowl is only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential, and it's exciting to watch his game continue to develop.
Bench Players
Connor Essegian, Guard – (A-)
Stats: 10.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 22 minutes per game.
What can I possibly say that hasn't already been said about freshman shooting guard Connor Essegian? The 6-foot-4, sweet-shooting wing forced his way into the rotation from day one and established himself as UW's sixth man.
The most encouraging thing we've seen from Essegian is that he's more than a one-trick pony. Yes, his one trick is pretty damn good (44.8% from 3), but he's also able to affect the game in other ways. Essegian has a lovely mid-range jumper, is money at the free-throw line, and does an excellent job moving without the ball. Plus, when the ball's in his hands, he's a good passer that keeps his head up, looking for cutters.
Defensively, the game still has yet to slow all the way down for Essegian, but the effort has undoubtedly been there. He's far from a liability on D – and that's all Greg Gard can hope for at this stage in his career.
The Indiana native has a good feel for the game, can score in bunches, and plays with confidence rarely – if ever seen from a true freshman. This kid is a stud.
Carter Gilmore, Forward – (B-)
Stats: 3.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 17.3 minutes per game.
Wisconsin native Carter Gilmore has been a polarizing player among the fanbase. The 6-foot-7 forward has become Greg Gard's top "big man" off the bench – and, quite frankly – has done a nice job considering the Badgers' lack of size.
His numbers don't jump off the page at you, and they never will, but Gilmore knows his limitations and routinely gives UW serviceable minutes.
Gilmore, a former walk-on, plays within the rules of the defense, works his tail off to deny post entries, rebounds well for his size, doesn't turn the ball over, and acts as a connector on offense. He also leads the team in offensive rebounding percentage (among rotation regulars) steal percentage, and defensive box score plus-minus. In short, Gilmore scraps when he's on the floor.
Whether you want to admit it or not, Gilmore has improved a lot from last season. He's a key rotation member and will be all season long.
Kamari McGee, PG – (C-)
Stats: 0.7 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 6.3 minutes per game.
Slowly but surely, UW-Green Bay transfer Kamari McGee is working his way into the rotation – settling in as the lightly used eighth man.
It's been a slow burn for the 6-foot PG as he transitions from the Horizon League to high-major basketball. The metrics for the Wisconsin native are…not good. According to Barttorvik, McGee has a negative PRPG (-0.4), which is the only negative rating among UW's "rotation regulars."
He's settling in defensively, which is where McGee will earn his minutes, but the kicker is his team-high turnover% (33.5).
On offense, McGee has yet to find his fit. Per HoopMath, he's taking 85.7% of his shots from beyond the arc – and while he's a serviceable shooter – that's definitely not his game.
The transition from offensive focal point to low-usage facilitator has been an adjustment, but he's shown growth. I have zero concerns about his ability to contribute — be patient.
Isaac Lindsey, Guard – (C+)
Stats: 1.5 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 5.5 minutes per game.
Former walk-on Isaac Lindsey was placed on scholarship this offseason and has proven to be a viable option depending on matchups.
Earlier in the year, Lindsey was asked to handle the backup point guard role, which isn't his natural position. That said, for someone who isn't a natural ball handler, he did an adequate job taking care of the ball and getting Hepburn a breather.
The Wisconsin native did some nice things offensively. Lindsey posted a positive PRPG (0.3), a 104.8 ORTG, and the second-lowest TO% in limited minutes. He also gave the Badgers another spot-up shooter, connecting on 33% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
However, there aren't minutes available on the wing right now – and Lindsey simply cannot man the point during Big Ten play. In a pinch, he's someone capable of giving Greg Gard minutes – he's looked better than I expected.
Markus Ilver, Forward – (C+)
Stats: 1.9 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.1 assists in 5 minutes per game.
Nobody loves to see themselves shoot more than Markus Ilver. The Estonian-born forward is an intriguing talent with plenty of upside. However, he needs to learn how to play within the flow of the offense rather than always hunting his shot. There is no reason a player logging five minutes per game should have a USG rating over 20, IMO.
To his credit, the metrics are favorable – but he hasn't shown the ability to impact games in other ways — that’s the next step.
Ilver is physically ready to see the floor. However, the game needs to slow down for him on defense before he is considered for consistent PT.
Chris Hodges, F/C – (INC)
Stats: 0.0 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0.0 assists in 6 appearances.
Redshirt freshman Chris Hodges receives an incomplete because I need to see more of him in meaningful minutes to hand out a grade adequately.
However, I feel confident in saying he isn't ready to be a member of UW's rotation in 2022-23. The Illinois native was a project – and still is – but that doesn't mean the 6-foot-8 forward can't become a useful player down the road.
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