The Wisconsin Badgers splashed in the transfer portal this offseason, landing transfer point guard Nick Boyd to run the show for his senior season.
Boyd, who played last season at San Diego State and was previously on FAU’s Final Four team, had received interest from the transfer portal elsewhere, but Wisconsin was able to lock in an official visit and get a commitment from the talented point guard.
Throughout the offseason, Boyd’s speed has been a big eye-catcher, as his movement with the ball has opened
up the offense even more, both in the half-court and in transition. While that needs to come with guardrails at times, it provides Wisconsin with a different look this season.
“I know a lot gets made of it,” head coach Greg Gard said of Boyd’s speed. “I mean we were efficient, we got to the free throw line a lot [last year]. This team has a different makeup. There’s not a John Tonje out there, but there’s other people that have different skill sets. So I don’t necessarily put a stopwatch on them and say, it’s about being efficient and if you play faster in transition, Nick brings that element.
“I mean, Nick definitely has an extra gear that maybe we didn’t have last year with as a point guard. But we’ve got to find that happy medium there. There’s going to be, as I talked to him, either Friday or Saturday, he’s got to know when he’s on the interstate and when he’s driving in a school zone because you can’t speed in a school zone, because bad things happen. So just understanding when to and when not. And as a point guard, you have to have a change of pace. You have to throw a curveball and a change-up here or there. So that’s I think something. And then the people that are around him, the bigs getting used to where he delivers the ball and how fast it comes at you, and get ready cause it’s probably coming near your head. And then the other guys running with him. And he’s not the only one. I think JB pushes it pretty well. Zach pushes it pretty well. Hayden does a good job of seeing up the floor. So I’m more concerned with the efficiency than I am how fast it comes.”
But, it hasn’t only been the on-the-court work where Boyd has impressed. He’s been a definite leader, which stood out to the coaches from Day 1.
“Kind of exactly what we expected,” assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft said of Boyd. “I mean, a real leader, commanding voice, a commanding game. I mean, every time he’s on the floor, I mean, he’s out there, he’s in the gym, and he’s making [plays]. It’s just about getting him to make the right play all the time. But much rather coach from that point of view where you’re constantly kind of like, ‘hey, we gotta slow him down a little bit rather than trying to get guys going.’
“And what we’ve seen is that has been very infectious to a guy like JB [John Blackwell], where he’s really rubbed off on Blackwell in a very positive way and vice versa. And then all the way down the line, he’s really lifted the level of intensity every single day in the weight room, in the locker room, certainly on the floor. So it’s been a great first few months, and the games haven’t even started. And I know when that happens, his motor will hit a all-new high, which I think, like I said, we’re going to have to watch that and make sure we always channel that in the right direction. But he’s been an awesome part of the program so far.”
Overall, Boyd has fit in well with the Badgers so far. On the court, he gives the team a point guard, which they didn’t have last year with a different roster construction. He, John Blackwell, and Andrew Rohde are all capable scorers, shooters, and facilitators, so Wisconsin has three different guys who can run the show in the starting lineup.
He’s also been that veteran presence, which is important on a team with youth, and has looked to be that missing piece so far for the Badgers.