Buzz around Wisconsin’s advanced camp
Greg Gard conducted his first advanced camp as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday. A number of top prospects were on campus, including commits Kobe King and Nathan Reuvers, as well as top targets Tyler Herro and Isaiah Kelly in the 2018 class.
Getting right to point: King, an in-state guard from La Crosse Central High School, was absolutely the top performer. The 6-foot-3 senior showcased his entire skillset and displayed no lingering effects from a wrist injury that kept from competing on the AAU circuit in April. King got to the hoop – and finished — with ease and his shot was also falling, something he’s struggled with at times this spring. During the multiple drills campers went through Friday, King’s footwork and attention to detail was excellent.
That said, King was equally as impressive on the defensive side of the ball. He possesses long arms and has the ability to stay in front of quicker guards. King had no problem guarding bigger players and could potentially defend the 1, 2 and 3 at the next level. Receiving an early commitment from King has certainly proved to be a major win for Gard.
At 6-foot-10, Reuvers isn’t your traditional power forward. Most people know he can shoot from outside, but the Minnesota standout gets up and down the court extremely well. He’s also a good ball handler and awfully athletic for his size. Players that tall often could be categorized as stiff, but Reuvers showed good bounce and flexibility. The biggest takeaway, though, is how great of a fit Reuvers is for what Gard wants to do on both ends of the court. If he continues to add strength and buy into the Badgers’ system, the three-star prospect has a chance to be a special player.
Herro, who holds an early offer from the Badgers, was intentionally put on the same team as King and Reuvers on Friday. The three spent much of the day together and certainly looked very comfortable around one another. The 6-foot-4 guard from Whitnall is a big-time scorer who can get very got from outside. He has the frame to add some good weight, which should help the junior finish more effectively around the rim.
Herro’s father was also in attendance and Gard spent a big chunk of the morning talking to him in the stands at the Kohl Center. And after the camp, the four-star prospect met with the entire coaching staff. Gard made it absolutely clear just how important Herro is to the 2018 class.
According to a source, Gard was very pleased with what he saw from in-state sophomore Nobal Days, who arrived at camp with early offers from Marquette and DePaul. The camp setting fit Days well in comparison to the flow of an AAU game, which doesn’t necessarily revolve around touching the post on each offensive possession. The Racine Park product participated in a handful of drills and was particularly effective around the rim. Days is very raw at this point but has an unbelievably high ceiling. Assistant coach Howard Moore parked himself next to Days’ father during the morning session and there’s no doubt he’ll be a player the Badgers watch closely over the next 12-18 months.
Joey Hauser, arguably the top target for Gard in the 2018 class, was not in attendance. And while it was a surprise at the start of camp, a source indicated the staff knew well in advance that the four-star forward would not be able to make it. Instead, Hauser will visit Madison unofficially on Thursday.
Another stock booster from camp was 2018 point guard Carlos Curtis from Milwaukee Riverside. A very long guard at 6-foot-2, Curtis got it done at both ends of the court and showed the ability to distribute to his teammates, which happened to be Reuvers, Herro and King. This is another prospect with big-time upside and it will be interesting to see how the staff moves forward with Curtis, who needs some work on his outside shot, in a class with limited scholarships.
Should Wisconsin miss on Brad Davison and Parker Stewart in the 2017 class, keep an eye on Sasha Stefanovic, who was also at camp. The 6-foot-5 sharp shooter had a solid performance and was told the staff would watch him closely this July should their still be a need at guard. A number of other schools in the Big Ten have the same plan.
Notes from the current Badgers
Andy van Vliet has been seeing time at the 3, 4 and 5 positions so far this offseason. He has been involved heavily in designed pick-and-roll situations with Bronson Koenig.
Koenig has taken dieting to an extreme this offseason. The senior point guard is barely eating any carbs, limiting his partying a great deal, and forcing some of his teammates to take part.
Walk-on Michael Ballard is impressing some of his teammates early on with his effort and shooting ability.
-Zack Miller
Harris reaches out to Wisconsin
Fresh off his third decommitment from Iowa, Juan Harris informed BadgerBlitz.com that he was moving back to Wisconsin in order to attend Janesville Parker for his senior season. Harris’ mother currently lives in Janesville.
A 6-foot-3, 370-pound defensive tackle, Harris also told BadgerBlitz.com that he reached out to the coaching staff at Wisconsin in order to restart his recruitment with the Badgers. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph made contact with Harris and informed the three-star prospect that room for him was not available in this class.
Harris said he has two official visits lined up to Illinois and Nebraska to start the fall.
Greg Gard conducted his first advanced camp as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday. A number of top prospects were on campus, including commits Kobe King and Nathan Reuvers, as well as top targets Tyler Herro and Isaiah Kelly in the 2018 class.
Getting right to point: King, an in-state guard from La Crosse Central High School, was absolutely the top performer. The 6-foot-3 senior showcased his entire skillset and displayed no lingering effects from a wrist injury that kept from competing on the AAU circuit in April. King got to the hoop – and finished — with ease and his shot was also falling, something he’s struggled with at times this spring. During the multiple drills campers went through Friday, King’s footwork and attention to detail was excellent.
That said, King was equally as impressive on the defensive side of the ball. He possesses long arms and has the ability to stay in front of quicker guards. King had no problem guarding bigger players and could potentially defend the 1, 2 and 3 at the next level. Receiving an early commitment from King has certainly proved to be a major win for Gard.
At 6-foot-10, Reuvers isn’t your traditional power forward. Most people know he can shoot from outside, but the Minnesota standout gets up and down the court extremely well. He’s also a good ball handler and awfully athletic for his size. Players that tall often could be categorized as stiff, but Reuvers showed good bounce and flexibility. The biggest takeaway, though, is how great of a fit Reuvers is for what Gard wants to do on both ends of the court. If he continues to add strength and buy into the Badgers’ system, the three-star prospect has a chance to be a special player.
Herro, who holds an early offer from the Badgers, was intentionally put on the same team as King and Reuvers on Friday. The three spent much of the day together and certainly looked very comfortable around one another. The 6-foot-4 guard from Whitnall is a big-time scorer who can get very got from outside. He has the frame to add some good weight, which should help the junior finish more effectively around the rim.
Herro’s father was also in attendance and Gard spent a big chunk of the morning talking to him in the stands at the Kohl Center. And after the camp, the four-star prospect met with the entire coaching staff. Gard made it absolutely clear just how important Herro is to the 2018 class.
According to a source, Gard was very pleased with what he saw from in-state sophomore Nobal Days, who arrived at camp with early offers from Marquette and DePaul. The camp setting fit Days well in comparison to the flow of an AAU game, which doesn’t necessarily revolve around touching the post on each offensive possession. The Racine Park product participated in a handful of drills and was particularly effective around the rim. Days is very raw at this point but has an unbelievably high ceiling. Assistant coach Howard Moore parked himself next to Days’ father during the morning session and there’s no doubt he’ll be a player the Badgers watch closely over the next 12-18 months.
Joey Hauser, arguably the top target for Gard in the 2018 class, was not in attendance. And while it was a surprise at the start of camp, a source indicated the staff knew well in advance that the four-star forward would not be able to make it. Instead, Hauser will visit Madison unofficially on Thursday.
Another stock booster from camp was 2018 point guard Carlos Curtis from Milwaukee Riverside. A very long guard at 6-foot-2, Curtis got it done at both ends of the court and showed the ability to distribute to his teammates, which happened to be Reuvers, Herro and King. This is another prospect with big-time upside and it will be interesting to see how the staff moves forward with Curtis, who needs some work on his outside shot, in a class with limited scholarships.
Should Wisconsin miss on Brad Davison and Parker Stewart in the 2017 class, keep an eye on Sasha Stefanovic, who was also at camp. The 6-foot-5 sharp shooter had a solid performance and was told the staff would watch him closely this July should their still be a need at guard. A number of other schools in the Big Ten have the same plan.
Notes from the current Badgers
Andy van Vliet has been seeing time at the 3, 4 and 5 positions so far this offseason. He has been involved heavily in designed pick-and-roll situations with Bronson Koenig.
Koenig has taken dieting to an extreme this offseason. The senior point guard is barely eating any carbs, limiting his partying a great deal, and forcing some of his teammates to take part.
Walk-on Michael Ballard is impressing some of his teammates early on with his effort and shooting ability.
-Zack Miller
Harris reaches out to Wisconsin
Fresh off his third decommitment from Iowa, Juan Harris informed BadgerBlitz.com that he was moving back to Wisconsin in order to attend Janesville Parker for his senior season. Harris’ mother currently lives in Janesville.
A 6-foot-3, 370-pound defensive tackle, Harris also told BadgerBlitz.com that he reached out to the coaching staff at Wisconsin in order to restart his recruitment with the Badgers. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph made contact with Harris and informed the three-star prospect that room for him was not available in this class.
Harris said he has two official visits lined up to Illinois and Nebraska to start the fall.
