Badger Basketball’s Steady Hand

In a college basketball era defined by change and player movement, John Blackwell x’27 has been a constant for the Badgers over the past three years.

The junior combo guard earned significant playing time as a true freshman in 2023, securing head coach Greg Gard’s trust for his relentless pursuit on defense, steady hand on offense, and mature approach to the game. Blackwell doubled his scoring output in his sophomore season, averaging nearly 16 points per game while sharing the backcourt with star transfer John Tonje MS’25. And this season, alongside junior forward Nolan Winter x’27 and senior point guard Nick Boyd x’26, Blackwell is shouldering an even larger offensive load as the Badgers seek a third consecutive NCAA tournament bid.

“My offensive approach is to be a three-level scorer,” he says. “I can shoot the midrange, knock down the three, and get all the way to the rim and draw a lot of fouls.”

And his tough defensive mindset, he says, is the result of bringing it every day to practice. “It’s not going to just show up for you in a game.”

It was a somewhat unlikely journey to Wisconsin for Blackwell, who grew up in Michigan and whose father, Glynn, played college basketball at Illinois. But the UW was the first program from the Big Ten — and all Power Five conferences — to offer him a scholarship. Gard, who’s known to value team culture and playing style as much as raw talent and skill, once referred to Blackwell’s character in the recruiting process as “A-plus-plus-plus.”

Last season, Blackwell showed so much promise as a physical two-way guard that he declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. After receiving valuable feedback in the predraft process, Blackwell withdrew from consideration and returned to Madison for his third college season. “I’m back,” he wrote on social media, to the relief of Badger fans, who’ve also seen players chase new opportunities in the college transfer portal.

“Wisconsin is home,” he says. “Obviously there’s a lot of money going around, but it’s not always good money to take.”

The program’s belief in Blackwell and Blackwell’s dedication to the program have paid off in their own way. In December, he became the ninth-fastest Badger to score 1,000 points with the team.

“It meant everything,” he says. “I want to be remembered as a guy who gave it his all, was the ultimate team player, and carried Wisconsin in the right way, on and off the court.”