The Wisconsin Badgers are setting up for the 2025-26 season, which is less than three weeks away, as they’ll host their annual Red-White scrimmage this weekend, followed by an exhibition game against the Oklahoma Sooners in Milwaukee next week.
It’ll be an early showing of this new-look Badgers team that features nine new players, including three new potential starters. After having a deep team last year, Wisconsin could be even deeper in 2025, thanks to a strong freshman class.
Wisconsin brought in two
in-state recruits, four-star guard Zach Kinziger and three-star center Will Garlock, as well as two international recruits, guard Hayden Jones and forward Aleksas Bieliauskas, in their 2026 class.
Each of the four players has impressed the staff early on in different ways. How does head coach Greg Gard evaluate the group in terms of potential playing time to begin the season?
“I think [Aleksas] Bieliauskas and [Hayden] Jones, because of their international and their playing experience, has put them [ahead] of, maybe not ahead of Will [Garlock] or Zach [Kinziger], but just ahead of your normal freshman. Aleksas is going to be 20 here in another 40 days or so. So, maturity-wise, he’s a little older, a little more physically mature, and again, I just can’t discount how valuable what they’ve experienced in the World Cups and the Euro Cups and the things they’ve been a part of.
“We’ll see when we get lights on and we really have to perform in front of a crowd. But, what they’ve done on the court has been impressive. And then Will, I think he’s probably the one of the four new guys that’s caught everybody on the staff by surprise. I knew he was going to be big and get bigger as time went on, but he’s been, from a physical standpoint, from run, jump, catch, rebound, above the rim, finish above the rim, he’s further along than I thought he would be and he’s really taken some jumps here since June. So, for him again, when we get into live action and get into games, how does he respond?
“And Zach’s just been, Zach’s a bulldog. I can see Zach being a gamer. He knocked down big shots on Saturday in our scrimmage, and, like I said, they all bring something a little bit different in terms of their skill set. I think Bieliauskas can play both post positions. Jones has been really good at the point, and at 6’6, 6’7, that’s a heck of a weapon to have somebody like that that can handle the ball that well and make good decisions. And obviously Zach and Will, Will specifically, bring something that we don’t have a lot of, and haven’t had a rim runner guy that big that can move like that in a while.”
I’ve shared earlier last week that I feel this group’s readiness as freshmen may be the best Gard has had in the last few years. And they all have completely different skillsets.
For Kinziger, he’s looked good enough physically, while turning on as a microwave scorer. He’ll need to continue to improve defensively and grow more into his frame, but that scoring ability certainly gives him a good chance for early minutes.
Jones has been thrown into the fire at a new position as a point guard, and has accepted the challenge. That has come with ebbs and flows, but Gard and the staff seem very pleased with his experience level and feel he’s also ready to contribute at his size.
As for Bieliauskas, he fits very well with the ball screen actions Wisconsin runs offensively, coming from a similar situation overseas. His game requires more polish on both ends of the floor, but his knowledge for a freshman seems higher than your average player.
And Garlock is the most physically gifted of the bunch at his position. He presents something completely different at center, which Wisconsin may look to tap into early. The game can move a little fast for him on both sides of the court, but he’s very physically imposing and is really the lone true center on the roster at his size.
This group will certainly be looking to fight for minutes early, and several have already made the case for it.
