Last season, John Blackwell emerged as the Wisconsin Badgers’ second-most impactful player, standing right behind John Tonje—who has since moved on to join the Utah Jazz. With Tonje now in the NBA, Blackwell is poised to take on the role of the team’s primary leader. Fortunately for both him and the Badgers, an offseason filled with uncertainty ultimately worked in their favor.
Earlier in the summer, Blackwell tested the waters of the 2025 NBA Draft, officially declaring his candidacy before ultimately withdrawing just a week ahead of the event. In truth, the plan had always been for him to return to Wisconsin, a decision fully supported by head coach Greg Gard.
While his offseason included exploring professional opportunities, Blackwell viewed the experience as more than a simple trial run. During his brief time among other NBA hopefuls, he gained valuable insight from fellow prospects, coaches, and mentors.
“It was a great experience—one of the best of my life,” Blackwell told Badger Notes.
His takeaway from the journey was straightforward: keep improving and keep learning. “I just want to continue to grow and learn from it,” he said. “I feel like I did. I definitely got better. That was the goal.”
Blackwell returns to Madison with a sharper edge and a clear sense of purpose. “I feel like there are things I haven’t accomplished in college yet,” he added.
Head coach Greg Gard believes Blackwell’s growth will be evident in his third season. With the graduation of key seniors from the 2024 squad, Gard has identified Blackwell—alongside Nolan Winter—as one of the team’s focal points moving forward.
Gard noted that his guard’s confidence has risen significantly since last season’s end, hinting that the NBA pre-draft process may have played a role in that. “Whether that NBA experience was what brought that to him or just going into year three, crossing across the halfway point of his career,” Gard said, “you can see the difference.”
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