Wisconsin Basketball: Dream Transfer Target Set for Campus Visit

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin basketball coaching staff have been actively pursuing talent upgrades from the transfer portal, and one name that has emerged as a potential target is Frankie Fidler, a First Team All-Summit small forward from the University of Omaha.

What’s particularly intriguing about Wisconsin’s interest in Fidler is his connection with starting point guard Chucky Hepburn. Both were teammates, along with William Kyle III, at Bellevue West High School, adding an intriguing personal connection to monitor.

From Frankie Fidler’s Instagram story; he and Chucky Hepburn who played together in Nebraska.

Fidler is in the portal after a first-team All-Summit League season at Nebraska-Omaha in which he scored 20.1 points per game. #Badgers pic.twitter.com/9PM45fv9iR

— Kedrick Stumbris (@KedrickStumbris) March 24, 2024

The Badgers will host Fidler on a recruiting visit to Madison this weekend. It’s worth noting that he’s also visited Creighton and Nebraska. In addition, he’s receiving interest from Alabama, Indiana, Oklahoma, Georgetown, Xavier, Arizona State, and countless others.

Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler will visit Wisconsin today.

Notably, the home of Fidler’s Bellevue West teammate Chucky Hepburn. @HurrdatSports | @THEnebpreps

— Ana Bellinghausen (@AnaBellMedia) March 29, 2024

That said, a source shared with Badgernotes.com that Fidler’s interest in teaming up with Hepburn is legit, and if everything breaks right, it could put Wisconsin basketball in the driver’s seat for this recruitment despite the long-list of suitors.

Frankie Fidler Could Be a Potential Game-Changer for Wisconsin Basketball

Fidler, a 6-foot-7 junior wing, is coming off an impressive season with the Omaha Mavericks, averaging 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 35.6% from beyond the arc.

With one year of eligibility remaining, Fidler carries valuable experience, having appeared in 94 career games with 91 starts. His potential addition to the Wisconsin basketball roster would add some much-needed wing depth after AJ Storr entered the transfer portal and provide coach Gard with another three-level scorer who can get to the free-throw line.

From a fit standpoint, Fidler’s skill set would mesh perfectly with the returning Wisconsin Badgers nucleus in their free-flowing offensive system. Per HoopMath, Fidler takes 28.1% of his shots at the rim, 38.6% are two-point jumpers, and 33.3% from 3-point territory. 

If Wisconsin men’s basketball can secure Fidler’s commitment, it would be a tremendous, home-run addition from the transfer portal for coach Gard and his staff. Time will tell, but there’s some real smoke here.

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