Tag: AJ Storr

Former Wisconsin star withdraws from NBA draft, returns to college

Former Wisconsin star withdraws from NBA draft, returns to college

Former Wisconsin guard A.J. Storr officially withdrew his name from the 2024 NBA draft on Sunday. He elected to return to college basketball where he will play for the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2024-25 season.

The former Badger declared for the NBA draft after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season while keeping his collegiate eligibility. At the same time, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Kansas.

Related: Where every member of Wisconsin’s record-breaking recruiting class of 2021 is now

The Jayhawks will be Storr’s seventh school in as many years dating to high school. His college career will include stops at St. John’s, Wisconsin and Kansas. The departure from Wisconsin wasn’t much of a surprise, given the circumstances.

Storr averaged 28.8 minutes, 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals for the Badgers in 2023-24. He was one of the driving forces behind the team’s offensive success and resurgent season.

He joins a Kansas program that suffered a down season in 2023-24. But the 2022 national champs have made every NCAA Tournament since 1989 and are still one of the best programs in the sport.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, landed three transfers this offseason: Central Arkansas guard Camren Hunter, Missouri guard John Tonje and Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos. Greg Gard and his staff did well given the circumstances of Storr, Chucky Hepburn (transfer portal) and Tyler Wahl (graduation) departing after the 2023-24 season.

The Badgers roster seems to be in good shape entering a critical 2024-25 campaign.

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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Wisconsin HC Greg Gard addresses departures of A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn

Thoughts on Greg Gard’s comments on Storr and Hepburn’s departures?

Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard met with reporters on Wednesday in advance of the university’s winter sports postseason reception.

There were numerous pressing topics, including the program’s lack of transfer portal success, the program’s direction and the state of the sport as a whole.

Related: An updated list of Wisconsin basketball’s transfer portal targets

However, no topic was more pressing than the departures of stars A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn.

Gard elaborated on the context behind their decisions and what he felt about the situation:

“If anybody in their right mind told any of you guys or gals that you could go triple your income by taking a different job, you’d do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked,” Gard said. “Did we all not want to see them go? Yea, of course. Love those two kids; they were great for us. But I understand the landscape we’re in. I would tell my kid probably to do the same thing if I was in that position.”

Wisconsin’s head coach was clear in his message: He understands the current landscape and the players’ perspective.

“The earning power window is really small,” Gard continued. “And when they have those type of opportunities in front of them, that’s hard to say no to. So I don’t begrudge them at all for that.”

Here’s his full answer, courtesy of WKOW’s Karley Marotta:

For context, Gard also noted Hepburn’s representation did not give Wisconsin a chance to match any name, image and likeness licensing offer before he entered the open market. Meaning the Badgers fell on the wrong side of the unfortunate reality that college basketball has become. He also said the program’s NIL budget tripled from year-to-year, but in that time the market increased fivefold.

The only thing Gard and his staff can do now is retool the 2024-25 team, work on retaining the remaining talent and return to winning on the court. A strong 2024-25 campaign with top point guard Daniel Freitag leading the show could be what’s necessary to get buy-in from the fan base and continue to see the NIL budget increase.

Players will transfer out, it’s the nature of the sport today. But wins on the court is still the one thing that defines programs. And Wisconsin hasn’t started losing on the court quite yet.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Wisconsin basketball in contact with versatile transfer forward

Wisconsin basketball in contact with versatile transfer forward

Wisconsin basketball has been in contact with former South Florida forward Kasean Pryor per On3’s Jamie Shaw. 

At 6-foot-10, Pryor entered the transfer portal over a week ago as a rising senior. A myriad of schools including UConn, Arizona, Gonzaga, Illinois, USC, Michigan and Wisconsin have reached out to Pryor since he made his decision to transfer. 

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

That number of programs is now up to 25, according to Shaw.

The Chicago, Illinois native has displayed gradual improvement since his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Boise State. 

After reaching the hardwood a combined 13 times in his first two seasons in Idaho, Pyror transferred to Northwest Florida State and averaged 14.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 35 appearances for the Raiders in 2022-2023.  He also shot a respectable 46.2% from the field, 35.2% outside and 79.9% from the charity stripe in 28.1 minutes per game. Pryor elected to transfer to South Florida following his third collegiate year 

His 13.0-point, 7.9-rebound marks this past season vaulted him into the No. 47 small forward spot on 247sports transfer rankings. 

With the departures of AJ Storr, Chucky Hepburn, Tyler Wahl and Conor Essegian, Wisconsin is certainly in need of a boost in size and versatility. Pryor’s length and veteran savvy could provide a spark for Gard’s squad entering his 10th year manning the sidelines.

Pryor is yet to make any transfer decision.

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Wisconsin basketball in heavy pursuit of former four-star recruit

Wisconsin basketball in heavy pursuit of former four-star recruit

Wisconsin basketball is in heavy pursuit of former UMass guard Matt Cross, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.

Wisconsin is among the programs Cross is hearing the most from at this stage of recruitment along with Iowa, TCU and USC. Cross recently elected to enter the transfer portal on the April 16.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

The Beverly, Massachusetts native played his freshman campaign at the University of Miami where he shot 40% from downtown in 14 appearances for the Hurricanes. 

After transferring to Louisville for his sophomore season, Cross then landed at UMass for his junior year — where he has been a staple for the past two years. The nation’s former No. 86 recruit in ESPN 100 earned Atlantic 10 First-Team and NABC All-District Selections for a stellar senior performance. 

His 15.3-point, 8.3-rebound marks this past season vaulted him into the No. 36 small forward spot on 247sports transfer rankings. 

Outside UMass, Cross originally received offers from UConn, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami and Tulane following his final year at Brewster Academy. He left high school as 247Sports’ No. 5 prospect in Massachusetts. 

With the departures of AJ Storr, Chucky Hepburn, Tyler Wahl and Conor Essegian, Wisconsin is certainly in need of a replacement at power forward. Cross’s length and veteran savvy could bridge that gap.

Cross is yet to make any transfer decision.

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Wisconsin approves contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard

Wisconsin approves contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard

The University of Wisconsin Athletic Board approved a contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard on Friday.

The extension is a procedural move and was done for all of the organization’s winter coaches. It extends Gard’s contract through May 31, 2029. He remains one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport.

Related: An updated look at Wisconsin basketball’s 2024-25 roster after Chucky Hepburn’s departure

Gard will enter his 10th season manning the sidelines for the Badgers during the 2024-2025 campaign. Since taking over for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bo Ryan, Gard has led Wisconsin to six NCAA Tournament appearances and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.

Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh previously expressed a vote of confidence in Gard after the conclusion of the team’s 2023-24 season.

The Cobb, Wisconsin native boasts the third-highest winning percentage (.635) in program history, trailing only the aforementioned Ryan (.737) and Walter Meanwell (.712).

The Badgers has experienced a seismic shift in personnel over the past few weeks. Chucky Hepburn, AJ Storr, Tyler Wahl and Conor Essegian are among eight Badgers to depart Madison via graduation or the transfer portal.

Gard is firmly in place to guide the program through a turbulent offseason.

Alongside Gard, the UW Athletic Board approved the extensions of five other winter head coaches — Marisa Moseley (women’s basketball), Yuri Suguiyama (swimming and diving), Mike Hastings (men’s hockey), Mark Johnson (women’s hockey) and Chris Bono (wrestling).

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Duke finalizing agreement to take on Kansas in Las Vegas for neutral site game, per Jon Rothstein

Duke and Kansas are finalizing an agreement for a non-conference matchup in November.

Duke’s already challenging non-conference schedule for 2024 is about to get even more difficult.

Jon Scheyer and his soon-to-be-revamped Blue Devils team will take on another college basketball blue blood in Kansas this November.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, one of college basketball’s biggest insiders, confirmed that the two legendary programs are in the process of finalizing a November matchup in Las Vegas.

No official announcement is imminent, and a date and time have yet to be decided upon, but things are in motion behind the scenes.

The last time these two titans faced off was in the Champions Classic in 2022, Jon Scheyer’s first season as Duke’s head coach following the departure of Coach K. Kansas went on to win that game 69-64 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Jayhawks finished the game on a 15-5 run over the final 4:37. In total, Duke is 8-6 all-time against the Jayhawks.

Bill Self will bring a revamped roster as he looks to improve upon a less-than-stellar season by Kansas standards. The Jayhawks made the Sweet 16, but they were often injured and didn’t have the depth necessary to compete.

The Jayhawks have been aggressive and active in the transfer portal, landing new names like AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, and Michael Ajayi for their roster. They also are returning Hunter Dickinson and Dajuan Harris.

If the two schools reach a final agreement, Duke will play Arizona, Kentucky, and Kansas as part of its non-conference schedule in 2024.

Kansas adds third marquee transfer in former Wisconsin guard AJ Storr

The Kansas Jayhawks added Wisconsin transfer guard AJ Storr to an already elite transfer portal class for Bill Self.

An early exit in the NCAA Tournament, along with a handful of NBA departures, had the Kansas Jayhawks a bit in flux at the conclusion of the 2023-24 college basketball season.

However, the rebuild has swiftly gotten underway. After already securing portal commitments from Florida guard Riley Kugel and South Dakota State’s Zeke Mayo, Bill Self’s team landed a huge fish in Wisconsin guard AJ Storr, thought by many to be the top player in the portal, who committed to the Jayhawks on Thursday afternoon.

Storr began his college career at St. John’s in 2022-23, averaging 8.8 points while shooting 40.4% from three, but after a coaching change Storr entered the portal and landed at Wisconsin for his sophomore year – where he exploded as a scorer by averaging 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 48.3% on twos and 32% from the three point line.

The 6’6 wing is now on his third college program after playing at four different high schools, but the talent is undeniable and he should help the Jayhawks replace both Kevin McCullar Jr and Johnny Furphy, who are headed to the NBA.

Former four-star recruit with ties to Wisconsin basketball enters transfer portal

Former four-star recruit with ties to Wisconsin basketball enters transfer portal

Former four-star recruit and Duke Blue Devil Jaden Schutt entered the transfer portal on Monday.

The Badgers were in on Schutt during his high school process. Greg Gard’s program offered him on July 30, 2020. 

The Yorkville, Illinois native was ranked No. 78 nationally coming out of high school and landed as the No. 8 shooting guard in the class of 2022. Eighteen schools offered him during the process, including Illinois, Michigan State, Marquette, Florida, Xavier, Iowa and Wisconsin. 

During his senior year at Yorkville Christian High School, Schutt captained the Mustangs to the Class 1A state title in 2021-22 and earned 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Illinois. Schutt also averaged a stellar 24.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game off 52% from the floor and 39% from deep.

The shooting guard averaged 2.1 points in 14 appearances as a freshman at Duke and even laced up for eight minutes of the team’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal game vs. Pittsburgh in 2023. He then exercised his redshirt season in 2023-24 after his sophomore campaign was cut short due to a left knee injury.

With guard A.J. Storr in the transfer portal, Wisconsin could certainly utilize a lengthy marksman to bolster its wing play. Schutt has previous ties to the program and could provide a much-needed boost.

Former Wisconsin basketball star receives crystal ball to transfer to Big Ten rival

What would your reaction be to AJ Storr committing to Illinois?

Former Wisconsin Badgers star guard A.J. Storr received a 247Sports crystal ball prediction to choose Illinois.

Storr entered the transfer portal after Wisconsin’s season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to James Madison. He also entered the NBA draft while maintaining his eligibility, though a return to college seems the more likely conclusion.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

Storr averaged 28.8 minutes, 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals in his one year with the Badgers. He was the engine of Wisconsin’s offense for much of the season, especially the team’s run to the final of the Big Ten Tournament.

A possible transfer to Illinois would mean three colleges in as many seasons for Storr. It would also mean seven schools in seven years dating to high school.

Illinois needs help on the wing entering 2024-25: Terrence Shannon Jr. is out of eligibility. Storr’s fit makes sense: He originally committed to the Illini out of high school before flipping to St John’s.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is looking to find Storr’s replacement in the transfer portal. The Badgers are in pursuit of several of the portal’s top forwards as both Storr and Tyler Wahl’s production needs to be replaced.

For more on Wisconsin’s roster and transfer portal activity, check out Badgers Wire’s ongoing 2024 transfer portal tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Potential transfer portal landing spots for former Wisconsin basketball star guard A.J. Storr

Where will A.J. Storr end up next season?

Wisconsin basketball guard A.J. Storr officially entered the transfer portal on Thursday morning.

The news was somewhat expected after the Badgers star did not commit to a second season with the team, and when he put his name into the NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility.

Related: An early look at the Wisconsin basketball roster entering 2024-25

The move also shouldn’t come as a surprise to the college basketball-following public. Storr will likely move on to this third college in as many years, and his seventh school in seven years dating back to high school.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is working to reload its roster entering a pivotal 2024-25 season. Greg Gard must now find a dynamic wing to replace Storr, find a dependable big man to replace Tyler Wahl and do so while keeping the rest of the roster together. The good news is the program will welcome in top point guard Daniel Freitag and add him to an already-dynamic backcourt of Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit and John Blackwell.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

As the college basketball transfer portal continues to churn, here are the early schools to watch for Storr’s next spot — if he passes on the NBA: