Following Wisconsin's early NCAA Tournament exit against High Point, forward Nolan Winter gave an honest update on his future and the transfer portal.
was able to keep the core group of eligible players together for another run in 2025. That group included players likeFast forward a year, and the Badgers enjoyed another successful regular season with that core group plus an outstanding addition from the transfer portal.
Sound familiar? Wisconsin finished fifth in an extremely competitive and talented Big Ten Conference, with road wins over multiple top-10 teams, earning a 5-seed in the Big Dance. Then déjà vu struck, and the Badgers made a quick exit from the tournament, losing to the 12-seed yet again. Historically,Wisconsin's Nolan Winter celebrates a three-pointer during the Indiana versus Wisconsin men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images After the game, Nolan Winter, one of the cornerstone players the Badgers successfully retained last offseason, wasn't ready to announce his future with Wisconsin after the tough loss to the High Point Panthers. "Honestly, right now I'm really just soaking in this moment and of the tournament. I haven't given it any thought,"after the game. "I want to be here, for sure. I want to be a Badger for four years, but like I said, we just had one of the hardest losses that a team can have in the season, losing your last game this season. I'm not really concerned about what I'm gonna do for future years or whatever." It's hard to fault Winter for not thinking about next year already. By all accounts, this team was extremely close, so a season-ending loss in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament is probably all he is thinking about. Like most players in that locker room, he doesn't want to make a decision during an emotional time.Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard talks with guard John Blackwell during the second half of their quarterfinal game in the Big Ten tournament Friday, March 13, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Wisconsin beat Illinois 91-88. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images But on the other hand, that's college sports now. Every year is essentially free agency. Fans want to know if the star players of their favorite teams are going to be coming back. But we've seen this before with players likeYou can love a coaching staff and a program, but sometimes a program comes calling and makes you an offer you just can't refuse. If Gard can keep Blackwell and Winter around for one last dance, it will be because of the culture he has built at the Wisconsin basketball program. Both players chose to come back to Wisconsin despite having some bigger offers at other schools. Can he do it again and keep the nucleus together for another run next season?Christian Borman is Wisconsin native that has been covering Wisconsin Athletics since 2018, focused on Badger football, basketball, and recruiting. In the past, he has written for Badger of Honor, and BadgerNotes, among others.What does a successful NCAA Tournament look like for Wisconsin Basketball? Wisconsin Badgers upgrade Nolan Winter's injury status prior to Big Ten Tournament semifinals against MichiganDaily Dunk: Best College Basketball Bets Today
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