Report: Wisconsin star John Blackwell plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal, test NBA Draft waters
Wisconsin star guard John Blackwell plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal while also testing the NBA Draft waters this offseason, according to ESPN. The 6-foot-4 junior is coming off a career-best season this year, where he averaged 19. 1 points, 5.
1 rebounds and 2. 3 assists per contest for the Badgers. Blackwell shot 43% from the field, but was one of the Big Ten’s deadliest outside scorers and finished fifth in the league with 96 made 3-pointers.
He is also planning to go through the NBA Draft process this spring, but will be one of the most players in the portal regardless of position. A native of Highland Park, Michigan, he is not considered to be a surefire first-round pick and is not listed as a projected selection in the majority of major mock drafts as the college season comes to a close. Blackwell’s decision is a major loss for the Badgers, who signed him out of high school in the Class of 2023 and helped develop him into one of the country’s best scoring guards.
He played in 34 games as a true freshman, coming off the bench in all but one and averaging 8. 0 points and 3. 2 rebounds in just over 18 minutes per contest.
As a sophomore, he took a big leap in 2024-25 and was the team’s second-leading scorer behind All-American John Tonje at 15. 8 PPG. His 3-point shooting dropped to a career-low 32% though, despite improving in nearly every other statistical category.