Greg Gard compares mindset of Wisconsin sophomore wing to former Badgers star

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard praised sophomore wing John Blackwell during his media availability on Monday.

With just a few weeks until its 2024-25 slate commences, Wisconsin has returned to the hardwood for a series of preseason practices. It’s safe to say Gard has appreciated the outlook of his second-year 6-foot-4-inch playmaker.

Gard reportedly compared Blackwell’s mindset ahead of his sophomore campaign to that of former Wisconsin star Johnny Davis before his second year in Madison. Davis, who now represents the NBA’s Washington Wizards, earned the 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year nod after averaging 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Considering his seven-point per-game clip as a freshman, Davis’ jump was substantial. Suppose Blackwell can come anywhere close to emulating what the future lottery pick did during his second college season. In that case, the Badgers will unlock an entirely new dynamic ahead of this season.

Blackwell’s freshman season was one of the most notable in the program’s last decade. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, native averaged 8.0 points per game off 45.1% from the field, 45.% from outside and 82.1% from the charity stripe en route to Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times, a feat no Badger had achieved since Nigel Hayes in 2013-14.

The dynamic wing will play a much larger role in Gard’s system this season following the departures of Chucky Hepburn, AJ Storr and Tyler Wahl. The team will open the season against Holy Cross on Monday, Nov. 4.