Wisconsin men's basketball sets official visit with 4-star in-state forward
Wisconsin will host 4-star in-state forward Donovan Davis for an official visit as the Badgers look to capitalize on a loaded 2027 class.
There’s something brewing in the state of Wisconsin right now, and if you’ve been paying attention, it’s hard to ignore.
The 2027 class isn’t just solid for a group of in-state recruits — it’s loaded. Depending on where you look, you’re talking about four, maybe five in-state prospects carrying four-star grades, and six guys in the top 200, which isn’t something that happens here often. And when that kind of talent shows up in your backyard, it’s not just an opportunity. It’s a test.
Can you keep it at home?
That’s where things start with a player like Donovan Davis.
The 6-foot-7 forward out of Kaukauna (WI.) has established himself as one of the top players in the state, and now, the Wisconsin men’s basketball staff will have a chance to make a lasting impression. Davis has locked in an official visit to Madison on April 13, according to a report from Dushawn London. It will be the first of several stops he has lined up this spring.
That matters.
In recruiting, especially at the Power Four level, getting that first official visit isn’t everything. But it’s not nothing either. It gives Wisconsin the first real opportunity to set the tone, to lay out its vision, showcase what it has to offer, and to make a case before the rest of the field gets its turn.
And there will be plenty of competition.
Davis has visits scheduled with Iowa, Marquette, Nebraska, and Iowa State — programs that aren’t just kicking the tires here. Iowa State, in particular, has made a habit of coming into Wisconsin and leaving with top talent, landing the state’s No. 1 player in each of the last two cycles.
So no, this won’t be easy.
But Wisconsin does have something working in its favor — familiarity.
They were the first program to offer Davis back in June of 2024. He’s been on campus multiple times already. There’s a level of comfort there, and in today’s recruiting world, that still counts for something.
Now the question becomes whether they can turn that into momentum.
Because Davis isn’t just a name on a board. He’s a legitimate national prospect. A consensus top-35 player with a skill set that jumps out the moment you watch him. He averaged 21.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game during the high school season, leading Freedom to a 25-2 record and earning First Team All-State honors.
And on the EYBL circuit with Team Herro, he’s held his own against high-level competition, averaging 12.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and nearly three assists per game across the sessions Davis played in last summer.
That’s production. That’s versatility. That’s a player who impacts the game in multiple ways. Which is exactly why this recruitment is what it is.
For Greg Gard and his coaching staff, though, this is about more than just landing one player. It’s about positioning. High school recruiting still matters — especially when the talent is this close to home — but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum anymore. The transfer portal will dictate how the top of your roster is built. That’s just the reality of the sport right now.
So when you get into a recruitment like this, you’re not just selling an immediate opportunity. You’re selling development. Fit. A pathway.
And Wisconsin has shown it can do that — and they’ve built an offensive system that has produced high-level performers, with an up-tempo, spacing-based style that’s become increasingly attractive to players.
At the same time, they’ve cast a wide net across the state. Offers have gone out to names like Kager Knueppel (Wisconsin Lutheran), Jalen Brown (Wauwatosa West), Deuce McDuffie (Nicolet), and Jack Kohnen (Slinger). At the same time, the Badgers have also positioned themselves in regional battles, including for Minnesota prospect Baboucarr Ann.
No commitments yet in 2027. Still early.
But this is where it starts to take shape. Because Wisconsin’s staff absolutely wants to come out of this in-state class with a few key pieces — and if they can find a way to win some of these battles and keep that talent home, it changes the trajectory of the roster in a meaningful way.
And getting Davis on campus first? That’s a step in that direction.
Wisconsin might not be considered the favorite right now, but in today’s landscape, things can shift quickly — staffs change, the portal reshapes rosters and scholarship availability, and timelines move fast. A lot of this, especially as it pertains to the Badgers, is going to come down to timing.
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