Last year, the Wisconsin Badgers landed arguably the best transfer in the portal, as John Tonje proved to be a sensation, putting up 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game en route to being a second-team All-American.
One year later, Wisconsin hit paydirt in the transfer portal again, landing one of the best point guards in the country with Nick Boyd, who has led the Badgers with 20.1 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. Boyd has been everything the Badgers were looking for and more, helping
the offense set a record in tempo while becoming a quick fan-favorite in Madison.
A relentless attacker at the rim, Boyd’s speed has added another dimension to an already-efficient Wisconsin offense, and the senior has provided great leadership to a group that lost quite a bit last offseason.
Ranking the top transfers in the country, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf had Boyd at No. 6 on a list dominated by Big Ten players.
“Boyd is having a massive breakout season as a fifth-year senior at his third school,” Borzello wrote. “He played key roles on successful Florida Atlantic and San Diego State teams but is averaging 20.2 points as Wisconsin’s go-to guy this season.
“He has had a pair of 30-point games, and just fell short of a triple-double (27 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists) in a key win over Iowa in late February. He ranks in the top five in Big Ten play in scoring and in the top 10 in assists.”
Boyd comes in behind Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 1), Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz (No. 2), Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall (No. 3), UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. (No. 4), and Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort (No. 5).
With the Badgers becoming a team prioritizing the transfer portal more, they’ve now hit successfully in three straight years. In 2023-24, they landed A.J. Storr, having a great evaluation and watching him have a breakout year before moving on. Then, there was John Tonje last year. And Wisconsin hit big on Boyd, filling their biggest hole at point guard this year.
