Wisconsin Basketball Transfer Guard Commits to Big Ten Rival

Wisconsin basketball is having a rough transfer portal season.

Three former Wisconsin Badgers starters have entered the transfer portal. Add in a slew of depth pieces seeking greener pastures, and head coach Greg Gard faces an uphill battle to reconstruct his roster. No transfer was more shocking than that of veteran point guard Chucky Hepburn. Another UW guard, however, is joining the ranks of another Big Ten team.

Wisconsin Basketball Transfer Connor Essegian Commits to Nebraska

Shortly after the Badgers season ended in disaster, Connor Essegian entered the transfer portal. A few weeks after jumping in, Essegian has found his new home in the Big Ten with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Go Big Red #Committed 🌽 pic.twitter.com/BJsnhxoj7r

— Connor Essegian (@CEssegian) April 21, 2024

In a post on Instagram, Essegian said, “These last two years in Madison have been nothing short of amazing. The university and this city has helped shape me to be the person I am today. These last three weeks have been really difficult trying to figure out what my next home will be. I want to thank my friends, family, and coaches for supporting me through this whole process. I also want to thank all the coaches who have shown interest and seen the value in me through this. Even through this tough process, I do know where my next home will be. With that being said, I will be committing to the University of Nebraska – go big red.”

Despite struggles this past season, the 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball finalist shined at times in Madison. He earned a starting role his freshman season and broke the Wisconsin basketball record for most three-point makes by a freshman. 

The arrival of AJ Storr pushed Essegian out of a starting role, but that was only the start of his sophomore struggles. In the season-opener against Arkansas State, the shooting guard suffered a back injury. That injury led to fits of stops-and-starts for Essegian’s time in the lineup. It compounded with public criticism over his defensive play, with Gard bluntly stating, “You have to be able to guard.” After shooting 35.9% from three in his first campaign, the 2023 Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection followed it up by making only 30.3% of his 66 attempts from deep his sophomore year.

Connor Essegian Fits Much-Needed Shooting Threat for Nebraska

Feb 22, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Connor Essegian (3) scores a three-point shot during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska’s addition of Essegian’s shooting threat feels poetic. Wisconsin basketball started its spiral of regular-season losses with a collapse in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers stormed back from an 18-point deficit to stay unbeaten at home and defeat the Badgers 80-72 in overtime. Nebraska shot 6-15 on three-pointers in the second half. The February 1st loss for UW kicked off a brutal 2-6 month and 3-8 close to the regular season.

If Essegian bounces back from a down shooting season, he will perfectly fit a need for head coach Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg lost two big shooting threats on the wing this offseason. Keisei Tominaga, who shot 37.6% on 202 three-point attempts last season, exhausted his eligibility. CJ Wilcher, who started his collegiate basketball journey at Xavier, is back in the transfer portal after shooting 39.4% from deep for the Huskers off the bench.

With frontcourt shooting threats Brice Williams and Rienk Mast returning to Lincoln, the former Wisconsin basketball starter will fit perfectly in a three-point hoisting Hoiberg scheme.

Wisconsin Basketball and the Curious Case of Connor Essegian

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