Wisconsin Basketball: 2022 Decisions Holding 2023 Team Back

A pair of under-the-radar transfers and the loss of a young superstar to the NBA Draft is holding back the Wisconsin basketball program more than you may think.

Remember the names Ben Carlson and Lorne Bowman? The athletic forward and crafty point guard announced their transfer decisions to the University of Utah and Oakland University in April of 2022.

Carlson, who had shown promise as a freshman, before missing extended time due to injuries, couldn’t regain a significant role in 2022 and decided to transfer to the Utes. This season he is averaging 4.3 points per game in 18.7 minutes per game.

Bowman, who had become a solid bench scorer and ball handler during his freshman season, missed significant time due to family issues in 2022 and ultimately decided to transfer closer to home at Oakland. The 6-foot-1 guard has appeared in 10 games in 2023, averaging 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

And then you have Johnny Davis, 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-American for the Wisconsin basketball team. Davis averaged 19.7 points per game last season, and while we all expected him to lead the Badgers, no one could have expected his draft stock to rise like it did.

Despite being drafted 10th overall to the Washington Wizards, Davis has struggled to stay up with the team and has instead spent his time in the G League. Looking back, you have to wonder if he wishes he would have stayed at Wisconsin for another season.

What Could Have Been For Wisconsin Basketball

Despite the lack of production for all three at their new homes in 2023, it’s hard not to think about what the program could have looked like with this additional depth.

Bowman could have filled the vacancy at backup point guard behind Chucky Hepburn. His ball-handling skills and ability to create off the dribble is something UW desperately misses now. To make matters worse, UWGB transfer Kamari McGee and former walk-on Isaac Lindsey have not filled the void here from an offensive or defensive standpoint.

Carlson being gone has also affected the program big time. The 6-foot-9 forward would have been huge defensively and offensively throughout Tyler Wahl’s injury absence. Without him, the Wisconsin basketball team has had to lean on the inexperienced Markus Ilver, a streaky shooter and defender, along with the offensively challenged Carter Gilmore.

And what else can you say about the loss of Johnny Davis? He was the heart and soul of the team in 2022, making his presence known as a scorer and defender. With him on the 2023 squad, he could have been a game-changer. The 6-foot-4 guard would have taken the scoring pressure off of Hepburn, Wahl, and Crowl — allowing Jordan Davis, transfer Max Klesmit, and guard Connor Essegian to play lesser roles off the bench.

Despite Struggles, 2023 Recruits A Silver Lining

Although at times the 2023 team has been fun to watch with the development of Crowl in the post and the playmaking of Essegian, ultimately the team is missing one too many pieces to be a threat in the Big Ten into March. But let’s not put this on Greg Gard, Badger fans. The 2022 Big Ten coach of the year did what he could this past offseason with the late departures of Davis, Bowman, and Carlson.

Looking for a reason to be optimistic about the program? Look no further than the strong 2023 recruiting class of John Blackwell, Gus Yalden, and Nolan Winter — all three and four-star recruits.

Yes, it’s been a tough stretch Badger fans, but let’s lay off coach Gard and the current roster and try to be positive the rest of the way as we watch the young team grow.

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