Wisconsin Basketball Countdown: Tyler Wahl Will Be Top-10

Wisconsin basketball season is nearly upon us. Head coach Greg Gard’s quest to bounce back after missing the 2023 NCAA Tournament begins Monday, November 6th. The Wisconsin Badgers host the Arkansas State Red Wolves in a mere ten days. In the run-up to this season, BadgerNotes is counting down the wait to tip-off by previewing the upcoming season.

In his fifth season in Madison, Tyler Wahl is approaching several impressive milestones. As the forward ascends into the top 10 of several program records, is he one of the best defenders in program history?

Is Tyler Wahl in the Top 10 of Defenders in Wisconsin Basketball History?

In the past two seasons, Wisconsin is 0-4 without Tyler Wahl. During a game at Minnesota last season, the Lakeville, Minnesota native suffered an ankle injury that seemingly derailed the Badgers’ season. After that point, UW lost three straight Big Ten games. Wisconsin finished just 20-15 on the season after starting 11-2.

Jan 17, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Tyler Wahl (5) talks with Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

Wahl is a crafty scorer, but that is not where Wisconsin misses him most when he is out. The 2022 all-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection is an invaluable defender. According to SportsReference data complete back to the 2010-11 season, Wahl’s 3.9 defensive box plus/minus (a metric used to estimate a player’s contributions using points per 100 possessions when they are on the court versus off of it) is the fifth-highest mark by a Wisconsin Badger.

Because of his ability to guard multiple positions, the former three-star recruit makes up for holes in the Badgers’ defense. He is also an excellent rebounder and always a threat to steal the ball away from opposing offenses.

Tyler Wahl’s Rebounding Prowess

Barring significant injury, Wahl will find himself in the top 10 of offensive, defensive, and total rebounds in Wisconsin basketball history. On the offensive glass, Wahl trails 2015 National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky by a mere 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, on defense, he trails 2008 all-Big Ten First Team selection Brian Butch by just nine. Kaminsky and Butch occupy 10th place on the offensive and defensive rebound totals, respectively. Larry Petty has snagged the tenth-most total rebounds in program history, and Wahl trails the former forward by 113 boards. Wahl has exceeded that number each of the past three seasons.

Jan 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Tyler Wahl (5) reacts to a foul call during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

Wahl is already one of the most efficient defensive rebounders to have played college basketball in Madison. His 16.5% defensive rebound percentage, according to SportsReference data complete back to the 2012-13 season, is already ninth all-time. Plus, he has improved in that metric every season so far.

Tyler Wahl: Mr. Steal Yo’ Ball

When he is not forcing opponents into missed shots he can grab off the glass; Wahl is probably taking the ball away from them. The two-time Big Ten champion is 14 steals shy of Wisconsin Badgers Athletic Hall of Famer Trent Jackson’s 151 – the tenth-most in program history. This is not just a volume stat for Wahl, however. He boasts an impressive 2.4 steal percentage – fourth-most all-time for a Wisconsin men’s basketball player. Between Wahl and Badgers point guard Chucky Hepburn, no ball is safe.

Tyler Wahl Among the Most-Tenured Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Players

Regardless of his quality of play, Wahl has been around the Capitol Square a few times. He is the oldest and most experienced player on the Badgers this season. While Wahl’s former teammate in Madison, Brad Davison, set program-record marks in playing time that many believe will never be caught, but Wahl might be the only one who could.

Can Wisconsin Basketball Forward Tyler Wahl Break the Unbreakable Record?

In his tenth game this season, Wahl will join assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft and 2011 consensus second-team all-American Jordan Taylor with the ninth-most played games in program history. After that jump, Wahl could get all the way to second-most games played all-time by the end of the regular season, passing Nigel Hayes at 150. Wahl has played in 126 Wisconsin basketball games, and the Badgers have 32 scheduled regular season contests.

Oct 12, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, US; Wisconsin Badgers players Steven Crowl, Chucky Hepburn, and Tyler Wahl speak to the media during the Big Ten Basketball Media Days at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Catching Davison at first with 161 will likely require a memorable season from Wahl. He can reach 158 games if he avoids injury and plays every regular season game. The remaining three (or four) will require at least a mediocre post-season (going at least 1-1 in the Big Ten Tournament and playing in another postseason tournament).

During this season, Wahl will ascend to the top 10 in minutes played all-time for the Badgers. With 3,226 minutes played, he trails Taylor’s tenth-highest mark of 3,950 by 724 minutes. Wahl played 765 minutes his sophomore season and has only seen more action each season since. If he plays 991 minutes this season (the average of his previous two), he will finish with 4,177 career minutes. That would put him just past the current fifth-highest mark of 4,125 set by D’Mitrik Trice and behind Alando Tucker‘s 4,297.

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