We know there is nothing like the atmosphere at a Badgers basketball game at the Kohl Center, and Bucky’s season has just begun. Ticket King decided to take a closer look at the Badgers basketball roster for the 2024-25 season. Follow along as we go over the changes and new faces of the Badgers.
The Badgers had a strong season during their 2023-24 campaign but fell just short of expectations.. With a loss to Illinois in the Big-10 Championship and their first-round exit in the NCAA tournament, the team is looking for revenge. You won’t want to miss a moment as this season kicks off. Don’t forget to get your tickets to see the Badgers every step of the way as they make a run for the championship.
Badgers Roster Losses After 2023-24 Season
The Badgers basketball roster is 72nd in national recruitment rankings and 16th in the Big 10. Looking back, the team was ranked 32 spots better at 40th, and 8th in the Big Ten last season. The team lost multiple key players in the offseason but worked hard to bring in new talent. The team lost six players to the transfer portal including Gus Yalden, Chucky Hepburn, Connor Essegian, Aj Storr, Ross Candelino, and Luke Haertle. Most notably the team’s Four-Star scoring leader AJ Storr, is transferring to Kansas. Connor Essegian (another 4-star,) and Chucky Hepburn (who was an All-Big 10 honorable mention) are also out the door. These players were integral to the team’s success and will be difficult to replace.
In an effort to shore up the losses, the Badgers brought in three players from the portal including John Tonje, Xavier Amos, and Camren Hunter. Tonje is a 6’5” guard who spent four years playing at Colorado State. He transferred to Missouri for one season and finally arrived at Wisconsin. Tonje averages 8.2 points per game, 0.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds over the course of his his collegiate career. Amos is a 6’8” forward who played two seasons with Northern Illinois before transferring to Wisconsin. During his two seasons with NIU, he averaged 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1 assist per game. Hunter is a 6’3” guard who played two seasons with Central Arkansas before coming to Wisconsin. With the Bears, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 assists, and 5 rebounds per game.
Badgers Returning Starters
The Badgers have two starters from last year’s team returning, Max Kleshmit and Steven Crowl. Kleshmit, a 6’3” guard is entering his 5th season and spent his first two seasons with Wofford before transferring to Wisconsin. He averaged 10.5 points, 1.2 steals, 1.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game throughout his career. His return to the Badgers basketball roster is a huge win for the team as Kleshmit was an integral part of the successful 2023-24 team. Crowl is a seven-foot forward who has played his whole collegiate career for the Badgers. Throughout that time, he averaged 9.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Both of these returning players are expected to make a significant impact on the court.
Badgers Freshman Recruits
The Badgers have a strong incoming freshmen recruiting class, including multiple potential stars. The incoming players include Jack Robinson, Daniel Freitag, Aidan Konop, and Ricardo Greppi. Robinson is a Three-Star forward and is ranked 25th in his class. Freitag is a Three-Star guard and is the 12th-ranked guard in his class. Konop is a guard who signed as a preferred walk-on. Greppi was born in Italy, and signed with Wisconsin.
Despite the talent drain through the NCAA portal, the team feels confident that they made the right acquisitions to bring in impactful players for the upcoming season. Containing returning veterans, star transfers ready to make an impact, and top recruits ready to take over in the future, the 2024-25 Badgers men’s basketball team is ready to make another run at the championship.