How Wisconsin’s Latest Transfer Could Catapult Them Up Jon Rothstein’s Top 45 Rankings
Wisconsin is currently a top-25 team entering the 2025-26 college basketball season, according to CBSSports’ Jon Rothstein. Specifically, the Badgers landed at No. 23 in his latest top 45 ranking following recent roster updates.
- Wisconsin basketball is ranked No. 23 in CBS Sports’ preseason top 45.
- The Badgers recently added Temple transfer Elijah Gray to bolster their frontcourt.
- Wisconsin is ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten, behind Purdue, Michigan, UCLA, Oregon, Michigan State, and Illinois.
- The Badgers roster has seen significant turnover since last season, with several seniors graduating and multiple transfers joining the team.
In the current era of player movement, nothing is certain until the season begins and teams start to gel. But a mid-20s ranking may be too low for a Wisconsin team that, after threatening the nation’s top 10 a season ago, may be set to take another significant step forward.Wisconsin recently concluded its offseason with a commitment from Temple transfer forward Elijah Gray. Gray, a rising senior with significant experience in the A-10 and AAC, fortifies the Badgers’ frontcourt depth. His addition rounds out what is among the more impressive rosters in the Big Ten, at least on paper.Wisconsin will look much different this winter than it did to close the 2024-25 season. That 2024-25 group was led by seniors John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, Carter Gilmore and Kamari McGee, all of whom graduated after the campaign. Greg Gard and his staff responded to that turnover by retaining rising juniors John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, then by adding transfers Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Andrew Rohde (Virginia), Austin Rapp (Portland), Carrington (Tulsa) and Gray.
Entering the 2025-26 college basketball season, the Wisconsin Badgers find themselves perched at No. 23 in CBS Sports’ preseason top 45 — a ranking that hints at promise, yet leaves room for surge. After an offseason tango with substantial roster turnover — bidding farewell to key seniors and welcoming a cadre of transfers, including Temple’s seasoned forward Elijah Gray — the Badgers are retooling a frontcourt that may well become one of the Big Ten’s most intriguing puzzles. It’s a transitional moment for Greg Gard’s squad, juggling fresh faces and seasoned bodies, and trying to edge closer to the conference’s elite pack led by the likes of Purdue and Michigan. With all these shifts, I’m genuinely curious — will this revamped lineup mesh quickly, or will it require a little patience before we see Wisconsin truly threaten that coveted top 10 spot once more? The stage is set for a team that’s eager to prove it’s more than this mid-20s preseason projection. LEARN MORE
The Badgers are Rothstein’s No. 7 team in the Big Ten, trailing No. 22 Illinois, No. 21 Michigan State, No. 20 Oregon, No. 7 UCLA, No. 5 Michigan and No. 1 Purdue. At No. 23, the Badgers are only a few ranking spots from nearing the conference’s clear elite trio of Purdue, Michigan and UCLA.
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