Badgers have a lot of work to do after transfer departures

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: Head coach Greg Gard of the Wisconsin Badgers watches while playing the High Point Panthers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. The Panthers won 83-82 in regulation. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Wisconsin Badgers came into the offseason hoping to retain a majority of their returning players as they looked to make a push next season.

Unfortunately, that proved to be an unrealistic task, as the Badgers saw John Blackwell announce he’ll enter the transfer portal on Monday, while Aleksas Bieliauskas followed suit on Tuesday, per a report. While Blackwell’s decision was hardly a surprise, Bieliauskas’s move is certainly intriguing as he becomes the fourth Badger to head to the portal, alongside Riccardo Greppi and Jack Robison. Those four departures have now created a number of open roster spots, six to be exact.

Here’s what Wisconsin’s current projected roster for 2026 looks like: Senior(s) Nolan Winter Juniors Owen Foxwell Jack Janicki Austin Rapp Sophomores Zach Kinziger Hayden Jones Will Garlock Freshmen Jackson Ball LaTrevion Fenderson With only nine current scholarship players, the Badgers have six more spots to fill, including a couple in the starting lineup. Safe to say they have work to do. As we’ve reported, the big need with Blackwell gone is a scoring combo guard alongside Owen Foxwell in the backcourt.

While Blackwell is certainly a huge loss, there should be more funds available now to go after a proven player in the transfer portal. Adding a three-and-D wing like Andrew Rohde should be a priority as well to fill that other starting spot on the wing. Perhaps a player with good versatility would be a fit here.