[lawrence-newsletter]Wisconsin has a deep, talented basketball class coming into Madison this season. The six-person Badger class of 2020 is up there with the best recruiting classes in the country. Here is where they stand both individually and collectively in terms of recruiting rankings.
According to the new 247Sports rankings, the top player in the class is Ben Carlson, a versatile 6-foot-9 forward out of Saint Paul, Minn. (East Ridge). The four-star recruit is ranked as a top-five player in the state of Minnesota by 247Sports rankings and is listed as the No. 94 prospect in the country. Here are our BadgersWire notes on Carlson’s offensive game from our scouting report series.
“Carlson did some of his best work against his best competition. Against Cretin Derham Hall, a top-10 team in the state of Minnesota, the future Badger dropped 33 points. With his combination of height and athletic ability, the high school senior can fly to the rim or catch and finish lobs with ease. He can put the ball on the floor and finish with a hammer at the rim. As a jump shooter, the Minnesota native already has a sweet stroke that will translate to the next level. There is a lot that reminds you of Nate Reuvers when watching the four-star prospect on film. Like Reuvers, Carlson is a threat in the pick-and-pop game. He can also grab a rebound at the defensive end and go to coast to coast with the dribble.”
Here is a link to our full scouting report on Carlson: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-ben-carlson/
The next 2020 Badger signee in terms of overall rankings is Johnny Davis, a high-three star recruit from La Crosse, Wis. (Central). The in-state product is seen as the No. 142 player overall and as the second best player in the state of Wisconsin behind Duke commit Jalen Johnson. Davis has the ability to score at all three levels and has a wiry 6-foot-4 frame that will translate well at the next level. This past season, the La Crosse native averaged 27.2 points per game for Central.
Here is a link to our full scouting report on Johnny Davis: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/25/scouting-report-wisconsin-2020-signee-johnny-davis/
Davis’ brother Jordan is also a Wisconsin commit in the class of 2020. Jordan Davis comes in as the sixth-best prospect in the state according to 247sports, and is ranked as the No. 454 overall player in the country in the class of 2020.
Wisconsin basketball may have found their point guard of the future in Lorne Bowman. The West Bloomfield, Mich. (St. Mary’s) native is a high-three star recruit and the No. 4 player overall in the state of Michigan. As a ball-dominant guard, Bowman excels as a playmaker for both himself and others. Here is an offensive breakdown of the point guard from our BadgersWire scouting report series:
“Bowman relies on excellent footwork to get where he needs to go on the floor. He has the speed to beat his defender, and the point guard’s handle is tight. In film from this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, the Michigan product was under control when he got in the paint, and finished with solid floaters over shot blockers. His hesitation dribble is nasty, and was one of the main moves he used to create space. When given space, Bowman can certainly knock down open jumpers with relative consistency, but has room to improve. In nine games at the EYBL, the 6-2 guard shot 31% from three. With only 42 attempts from deep at the Nike EYBL, the sample size was small, but nonetheless Bowman has room to grow as a shooter.”
Here is a link to our full scouting report on Bowman: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-lorne-bowman/
Rounding out the scholarship signees is 6-foot-9 big man Steven Crowl. The Minnesota native had a fantastic career at Eastview Senior High School. Crowl is a high-three star recruit and the No. 7 player in the state of Minnesota according to 247Sports. Here is a piece of our BadgersWire scouting report on the future Badger:
“Crowl’s passing ability is what surprised me most on tape. At 6-9, 210 he not only made point-guard-like bounce passes in transition, but also had the basketball IQ to make quick interior passes for open layups. For a big man, he already has the ability to put the ball on the deck. He also has the range to step back and knock down long jumpers. There is not a ton of film of Crowl hitting jumpers off the dribble, although as an open, set shooter he can cash his checks.”
Here is a link to our full scouting report on Crowl: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/06/scouting-report-steven-crowl/
Wisconsin also added an in-state preferred walk-on to their 2020 group in Carter Gilmore. Gilmore, however,[lawrence-newsletter][lawrence-newsletter] is no ordinary walk-on. The 6-foot-7 in-state prospect had multiple division one offers from the likes of DePaul and Brown and turned them down even though UW could not offer him a scholarship for the 2020 season. The Hartland, Wisconsin native starred at Arrowhead High School where he ran what was essentially point-forward for his high school squad. Here is a piece on Gimore from our scouting report:
“Carter Gilmore in one word: “Positionless” — Sure, maybe this is just another way of saying versatile. On tape, the Hartland, WI native looks like he was playing point-center for his Arrowhead squad in high school. He was the anchor of the defense down low and came up with a series of highlight blocks. Gilmore also grabbed rebounds and brought the ball up himself. The best way to utilize Gilmore is an exciting mystery for Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard to solve.”
Overall, according to 247Sports, the class of 2020 is ranked as the fourth-best class in the Big Ten conference and as the No. 27 class in the country. Wisconsin fans should be excited about the depth that this group provides to Head Coach Greg Gard not only next season, but for a few years to come.