Recruiting outlet thinks Wisconsin has the best transfer class in college basketball
Recruiting outlet thinks Wisconsin has the best transfer class in college basketball
Wisconsin basketball's impressive offseason is continuing to earn national recognition.
As of April 12, On3 lists the Badgers' three-person transfer group as the No. 1 transfer class in college basketball. The group narrowly edges Kentucky (four commits), Oklahoma State (four commits), Butler (three commits) and Michigan (four commits) in the recruiting service's top five.
Wisconsin's class currently includes wing Andrew Rohde, forward Austin Rapp and guard Nick Boyd. On3 lists each as a four-star transfer prospect, ranked as the portal's No. 110, No. 139 and No. 36 overall players, respectively.
For reference, Louisville boasted On3's top transfer class last offseason, headlined by Wisconsin star Chucky Hepburn. That class led the Cardinals to a resurgent season in year one under Pat Kelsey -- a final 27-8 record and NCAA Tournament appearance. Other top-ranked transfer classes didn't boast the same success, as Kansas (No. 2), West Virginia (No. 3), Indiana (No. 4) and Nebraska (No. 5) mostly fell short of preseason expectations.
That is to display that transfer rankings don't mean everything. For example, John Tonje was the No. 296 transfer during the 2024 cycle before delivering an All-American season leading the Badgers.
Still, On3's transfer ranking reflects Wisconsin's successful transfer cycle to date. Boyd, Rapp and Rohde were all top targets from the start, plus Wisconsin edged top programs North Carolina, Michigan and Iowa State, respectively, for their commitments.
Meanwhile, the Badgers have lost two three-star and one four-star transfer in Camren Hunter, Daniel Freitag and Xavier Amos, respectively. Amos is by far the biggest loss of the three. His departure creates a glaring need at depth forward, one the Badgers must address before the transfer cycle concludes.
Wisconsin's new-look starting five with Rohde, Rapp, Boyd, John Blackwell and Nolan Winter should line up favorably against most in the Big Ten. It includes an ascending star in Blackwell, a promising big man in Winter, the 2024 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year in Rapp, an experienced sharpshooter in Rohde and an established guard with Final Four experience in Boyd.
The team's success in 2025-26 may still come down to how Greg Gard fills the rotation, whether with underclassmen or remaining transfer additions. While the team can hold top rankings for its star-powered transfer-heavy starting lineup, it will likely only go as far as its depth takes it.
Bookmark our transfer tracker for the latest on the team's upcoming moves.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
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