The Wisconsin Badgers splashed in the transfer portal this offseason, landing their top target and a premier point guard in San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd, who was coming off a career high.
Boyd, a
rising senior who had previously played on FAU’s Final Four team, averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while taking a step up for San Diego State last season.
The 6’3, 175-pound point guard was a lead facilitator for a relatively slower-paced offense and shot the three-ball well (35.1 percent), while taking on a ton of responsibility.
Now, he joins a different style with the Badgers, where he’s expected to take on a big role as the team’s point guard, working alongside John Blackwell in the backcourt.
Through two open fall practices, Boyd’s speed has been very apparent, as his start/stops regularly result in blow-bys for defenders, creating lanes to the basket or kickouts to open shooters. Of course, with that speed comes some out-of-control play, which is what the Badgers are focusing on harnessing ahead of the season.
But, he’s been what the Badgers expected when they targeted him in the transfer portal.
“[He’s] exactly what we expected,” assistant head coach Joe Krabbenhoft said of Boyd. “A real leader, commanding voice, a commanding game. I mean, every time he’s on the floor, you know he’s out there, you know he’s in the gym, and he’s making [plays]. ”It’s just about getting them 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 an 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.”
That speed has been a big part of Wisconsin’s offense, fitting in with how the Badgers want to play this season. They’re looking to play even faster and push more in transition, which is why Boyd was the top fit out of the transfer portal.
“His speed, I mean, it’s everything,” Krabbenhoft continued about Boyd. “As we’ve transitioned offensively and the way we want to play and the way we have been playing, it’s been a process over the last several years. It’s been about getting faster, you know, and really targeting in the portal or recruiting guys who can really get it and go.
“And nobody stood out more this year to us than Nick Boyd. And so his speed stood out right away. And it’s really coming into fruition here early. And like I said, we gotta harness that. We gotta play with him in bounds. Coach will always say, can’t throw it into the tuba section or in the student section. And he’s thrown a few and we’re just coaching from that on down. But his speed is infectious. He’s got Jack Janicki running harder, he’s got Andrew Rohde playing faster. So that’s been great. Just seeing his speed, like his voice and his competitiveness speed spread throughout the team.”
The leadership has especially stood out through the first two practices from my lens, as Boyd has been communicating loudly defensively, helping teammates get to spots. He’s also been cheering up teammates after plays and has clearly gained the respect of the locker room.
When did that come about?
“[From] Day one. Day one,” Krabbenhoft said about Boyd’s leadership. “That was a part of the process in getting him here was losing Max Klesmit, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore, and even John Tonje, who was just a one-year guy. We lost a lot of leadership. We still bring back [John] Blackwell, [Nolan] Winter, [Jack] Janicki, those guys still have a big voice, certainly returners. But we needed somebody who could come in from day one and have a big voice and really lead right away.
“I think the respect he’s earned amongst his peers by doing what he did at FAU, going to San Diego State and having a great run there, a really, really solid program and a good coach, he’s coming in. These guys know who Nick Boyd is. And so from day one, he had a strong voice, and that’s grown every single day, and it’ll continue to grow. And you know, he’s got a good balance of [knowing when] not to speak. And he does have a lot of questions too. It’s not like he’s in here with all the answers. He’s leaned on Blackwell, leaned on some older guys that have been in the program for what’s to come and what he may be missing. And so it’s been a really perfect blend for a guy with such charisma and experience to come in and humble himself a little bit with this program. What we’ve been able to do to kind of grab it, grab the bull by the horns at the same time.”
With nine new faces on the team, there will be some early humps to overcome. But, the Badgers are getting what they wanted from Nick Boyd early on, who should be a leader for the team this season.
