Tag: wisconsin basketbal

Report: Five-star in-state SF Kon Knueppel sets date for official visit to Wisconsin

Knueppel will be on campus later this fall:

Wisconsin is still in the running for five-star 2024 small forward Kon Knueppel, or at least that’s what the latest news indicates.

Evan Flood of 247Sports reported yesterday that the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native will visit Madison on September 12, figuring to give Greg Gard and the Badgers program another shot at landing his commitment.

Knueppel is 247Sports’ No. 22 player in the class of 2024, No. 9 small forward and No. 1 recruit from the state of Wisconsin. He has offers from top programs across the sport, including Duke, Virginia, Iowa, Illinois, Miami and Michigan State.

The fall will be a busy time for the highly-coveted recruit as he has visits planned to Alabama, Duke, Virginia, Stanford and Notre Dame in that time.

Gard’s already-stellar 2024 class will rise into the nation’s top five it he is able to land Knueppel. Winning this recruiting battle would go a long way toward constructing the most talented roster the Wisconsin program has had in some time.

Wisconsin basketball is heavily favored vs. Maryland according to BetMGM

The Badgers are heavy favorites at home today

The No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers are unsurprisingly heavy favorites over a Maryland team that has started 0-2 in the Big Ten. Is BetMGM giving the Terrapins enough points?

Wisconsin is currently a 9.5-point favorite over Maryland, meaning that a bet on the Badgers spread would only cash if UW won by 10 points or more. The Badgers are also a massive -550 favorite to win, meaning you would need to risk $550 to win $100 on Wisconsin to win the game outright.

Maryland has started 0-2 in the Big Ten, with a 14-point home loss to Rutgers and a three-point loss at Purdue that only became close late in the second half. This certainly feels like a spot where Wisconsin should cruise at home against an inferior opponent that struggles for offense. The Badgers are 2-0 in the conference, coming off of a massive win at Michigan State where they covered the spread.

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What 2021 Badger target James Graham would bring to Madison

A breakdown of one of the fastest rising players in 2021

It was not a matter of if Wisconsin was going to extend an offer to James Graham, one of the fastest rising players in the class of 2021. It was a matter of when, and that when came yesterday when the Badgers made it official with their offer, the latest in a long list for the Nicolet star.

Graham is a 6-8 SF with a versatile skill set. The Milwaukee native plays for one of the top Wisconsin club programs in the state in Wisconsin Playground, and has already had an impressive start to his summer circuit.

According to Movement Hoops, Graham averaged 21 points per contest and hit 47 threes for Nicolet as a junior en route to a 22-3 overall record.

Graham has risen all the way up to No. 57 in the 247Sports 2021 class rankings, and now holds offers rom Michigan State, Georgetown, Auburn, Georgia, Memphis, Iowa and more.

The 6-8, athletic forward has a sweet stroke from the outside that forces defenses to step out and respect him. Either as a catch-and-shoot threat, or getting in his bag off the dribble, Graham has excellent range and a high release point on his jumper. The Wisconsin PGC stud feels like the modern forward. He runs the floor with ease, can pull up from anywhere on the hardwood, and finishes with authority at the rim. The Nicolet star also showed flashes of his passing ability out a face-up or post-up during his junior year.

His handles still have room to improve, but in his junior year he showed the ability to create for himself with high-level footwork either with his back to the basket or on the perimeter. The next step for Graham, as is the next step for many high school juniors, is adding strength in the weight room in order to be able to grind at the next level.

It’s no secret as to why Graham is one of the fastest rising players in the nation right now. The do-it-all small forward will fit in with ease wherever he decides to go, and with his 6-8, athletic frame and deep range, the NBA could be calling his name a few years down the line.

 

Wisconsin offers a 2021 four-star SG who has been receiving a ton of Big Ten interest

The Badgers offer a 2021 SG as they look to fill out the 2021 class

[lawrence-newsletter]Wisconsin basketball are still looking for another guard in the 2021 class, and SG Louis Lesmond is high up on the list of targets. The Badgers officially offered Lesmond yesterday per his Twitter account.

Originally from France, the 2021 SG plays his high school basketball at Notre Dame College Prep in Evanston, Illinois. The 6-foot-5 guard is seen as a top-five player in the state of Illinois according to 247Sports, and a four-star recruit.

The Badgers had previously been following Lesmond, but now have finally made him an official offer. Wisconsin is one of many Big Ten schools battling for the services of the Frenchman. Lesmond has offers from Illinois, Nebraska, and bitter Badger rival Marquette. The 6-foot-5 SG has ties to Wisconsin as he is AAU teammates with Badger 2021 commit Chris Hodges in Illinois. Check out highlights from the newly-offered Lesmond: