The Wisconsin Badgers were dealt a big blow on Monday when star guard John Blackwell entered the transfer portal. Another came as the portal opened on Tuesday, as forward Aleksas Bieliauskas plans to enter as well, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Bieliauskas, a native of Lithuania, joined the Badgers as a part of their 2025 freshman class last offseason. He immediately earned rave reviews from the coaching staff for his basketball IQ and seamless fit with the team’s offensive scheme, getting
early minutes despite joining the team late.
Bieliauskas entered the starting lineup midway through the season in place of Austin Rapp, and never gave up his starting spot after that, slotting in alongside Nolan Winter. The freshman averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from three.
But it was under the bright lights where Bieliauskas really shone. The forward had his breakout game against the Michigan Wolverines in January, scoring 17 points and hitting five threes in the team’s 91-88 win. He was also crucial in the Big Ten Tournament on both ends of the court, while scoring 16 points and hitting four threes in a late-season win against the Purdue Boilermakers.
Bieliauskas becomes the fourth Badger to announce intentions to enter the transfer portal, joining Blackwell, Jack Robison, and Riccardo Greppi.
With him gone, the Badgers now have another need to address, as they’re likely to go after another big in the transfer portal, either to start or play key minutes as a reserve.
