The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team will have its expected go-to scorer back in the fold next season.
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John Blackwell, the Badgers star guard who averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists as a sophomore last season, has withdrawn from the NBA Draft process and will return to Wisconsin, a source confirmed Wednesday.
Despite not earning an invite to the NBA Draft Combine or NBA G League Elite Camp, Blackwell completed workouts with the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers before announcing he would return to school.
He'll now play his junior season with a Badgers group that, as they rebuilt, seemingly always had his place in the offseason formula in mind.
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The Badgers added four transfers and one freshman this offseason, bringing in an experienced point guard in San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd, a skilled secondary creator and shooter in Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde, a sweet-shooting forward with three seasons still to grow in Portland transfer Austin Rapp and a potential key reserve piece in Tulsa transfer Braeden Carrington.
Yet it never addressed perhaps the most glaring hole on the roster: A dynamic scoring wing, formerly occupied in a starring role by 20.0 point-per-game guard John Tonje. With Blackwell back, his skill set should fill that vacancy — with the other additions rounding out what should be a strong Wisconsin team centered around Blackwell and his fellow building block, versatile 7-footer Nolan Winter.
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The NBA always has been a dream for Blackwell, whose rise from unheralded recruit to a player both he and Badgers coach Greg Gard said spent all of the previous offseason determined to prove he was Wisconsin's "best player" marks one of the best recruiting wins for the Badgers in recent memory.
Those around the sophomore guard mentioned before the start of the 2024-25 campaign Blackwell's desire to make the leap to the NBA, possibly after the season. Badgers coach Greg Gard referred to the opportunity for Blackwell to test the draft waters as a “win-win opportunity” where Blackwell would return a better player with a stronger understanding of the areas he’ll need to improve upon if he pulled out of the process.
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Blackwell always has been skilled in harnessing that type of information, his journey to stardom at Wisconsin largely the result of keeping his head down and focusing on the work his goals required.
The son of former Illinois player Glynn Blackwell hadn’t earned any high-major offers in high school until a chance encounter between Wisconsin staff and family friends of Blackwell at the airport led the Badgers to take a look at him. He operated more as a distributor in high school with averages of 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game as a junior while shooting 49% from beyond the arc, the highest 3-point shooting percentage in Michigan that season.
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The Badgers offered Blackwell in September 2021, and he committed to Wisconsin the following April. Blackwell instantly developed an impact role that only grew as the season went on despite being the lowest ranked of the three scholarship players the Badgers added in 2023 behind forwards Gus Yalden and Nolan Winter.
He scored at least 10 points in five of his first six games at Wisconsin, including a career-high 18 against Robert Morris on Nov. 17, 2023 — a total Blackwell matched in back-to-back games against Purdue and Maryland in March.
He set the Badgers freshman record for 3-point percentage in a season, connecting on 30 3-pointers while shooting 45.5% from deep, topping the previous mark for a Wisconsin freshman with a minimum of 60 attempts set by Tim Locum in 1988. Locum made 41 of 93 to shoot 44.1%.
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Blackwell’s quick ascent at Wisconsin earned him a starting opportunity as the point guard in his sophomore season. His jump was somewhat overshadowed by Tonje's rise to a second-team All-American, but Blackwell's elite scoring ability showed itself with regularity. He scored at least 30 points twice, including a career-best 32 against Iowa on Jan. 3. He had eight games with at least 20 points and scored at least 10 points in all but seven of the team’s 37 games this season.
He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention after the season and averaged 20 points per game in Wisconsin's two NCAA Tournament games.
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Blackwell spent much of his time during the NBA Draft prep in the Los Angeles area, training at Meyer Institute of Sport in El Segundo, California. He remained open-minded while he remained in his NBA Draft process and never tipped where he intended to spend the upcoming season. But his return completes a reload of the Badgers guard depth, which will add freshmen Zach Kinziger from De Pere and Hayden Jones from New Zealand in addition to the transfers.
Wisconsin has one spot remaining on its expected 15-man roster for next season. Gard suggested on May 2 that the impending addition would be “likely (a) scholarship” player.
Photos: Badgers men's basketball in review
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Kamari McGee (4) celebrates with fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Michigan center Vlad Goldin (50) dunks on Wisconsin Badgers forward Carter Gilmore (7) on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) celebrates after hitting a three-pointer on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Max Klesmit (11) is swarmed by UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros defenders on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) shoots a three-pointer over UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros guard Hasan Abdul Hakim (14) on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) dunks the ball on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Nebraska forward Berke Buyuktuncel (9) goes for a layup under the basket on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard claps during player introductions on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Kamari McGee (4) and Washington Huskies guard Tyler Harris (8) battle for the ball on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Carter Gilmore (7) and Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (33) celebrate after a three-pointer on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Carter Gilmore (7) hugs Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during Senior Day ceremonies on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) checks in for the last regular season home game of his career as a Badger on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Sweat drips from the face of Ohio State forward Sean Stewart (13) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) buries his face in a towel after checking out during the final seconds of the Badger’s loss to Penn State on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin defenders attempt to block Holy Cross Crusaders forward Gabe Warren (21) on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard yells at the official on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Kamari McGee (4) comforts Wisconsin Badgers guard Max Klesmit (11) after Klesmit missed a late three-pointer to tie the game on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl (22) and Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) run in to each other during a possession on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Montana St. on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Montana St. on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Arizona on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Former Wisconsin basketball head coach Bo Ryan watches as his banner is raised on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (33) celebrates after a three-pointer on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Trey Galloway (32) battle for the ball on the floor on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) jumps to dunk on Nebraska guard Connor Essegian (0) on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard laughs with an official on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin guard John Blackwell (25) falls as Ohio State forward Sean Stewart (13) goes for a block on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) tries to put home a layup against Oregon on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL OWEN ZILIAK,STATE JOURNAL
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