Wisconsin Basketball Fills Coveted Stretch Forward Spot in Portal

Wisconsin Badgers head basketball coach Greg Gard has filled one of the last glaring holes on the roster through the transfer portal. 

Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos announced his commitment to the Wisconsin basketball team over reported interest from Virginia, Kansas, Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Xavier, and Cal. 

1000% committed pic.twitter.com/jvcmxrZLVX

— Xavier M. Amos (@WYoungX1) April 29, 2024

Standing at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, Amos started all 25 games he appeared in as a sophomore, averaging 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 assists per game in 30 minutes a contest. Of note, Amos was a 38.5% shooter from beyond the arc on 4.2 attempts per night. 

Synergy data shows that during Amos’ final season at Northern Illinois, he averaged 0.983 points per possession, which placed him in the 72nd percentile. He also excelled as a spot-up shooter, averaging 1.101 points per possession, which was an 83rd-percentile outcome.

When it comes to shot selection, Amos has what it takes to make you pay from down low and beyond the arc. According to HoopMath, Amos takes 40% of his shots at the rim, converting at a 66.3% clip, while taking 40% of his attempts from 3-point territory, where he connected on 38.5%.

Amos has played 32 games with 26 starts at the Division One level and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining with the Wisconsin basketball program. He’ll fill a significant need in the Badgers’ frontcourt lineup alongside Steven Crowl and returning depth pieces Carter Gilmore and Markus Ilver at the four. 

“We are really excited to welcome Xavier Amos to the Badger family,” Gard said in a press release on April 29. “His size and skillset are very versatile, and we are excited about what he can do both on the offensive end and the defensive end. After meeting with Xavier and his family, we know this is a great fit for our program. Being from Chicago, he also has familiarity with Badger basketball. We feel that Xavier will blend right in with our culture and our vision.”

Following the additions of Amos and Central Arkansas point guard Camren Hunter, Gard will now have one scholarship left to use in the portal, and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be on a plug-and-play wing with some experience.

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