Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard earns national recognition
With Wisconsin basketball in the thick of the Big Ten title race, Greg Gard’s coaching job has put him in the mix for Naismith Coach of the Year.
Greg Gard has had the No. 11 Wisconsin men's basketball team exceeding expectations all season, and now he’s getting national recognition for it.
The Badgers’ head coach, now in his 10th year with the program, was named to the 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Watch List. This marks the second time in four seasons that Gard has been in the conversation for college basketball's prestigious award.
And for good reason.
Wisconsin’s 21-5 record not only matches the best start during the Gard era—it’s also the fifth-best 26-game start in program history. This is a team that was picked to finish 12th in the Big Ten before the season, yet the Badgers are sitting at 11-4 in conference play, third in the league, and firmly in the mix to compete for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The numbers support their strong resume—Wisconsin checks in at No. 11 in the latest AP Poll and the NET rankings while sitting at No. 7 in KenPom.
What makes Gard’s coaching job even more impressive is the roster turnover he was forced to navigate. The Badgers lost key contributors in Tyler Wahl, AJ Storr (Kansas), and Chucky Hepburn (Louisville) off last season's roster.
That kind of turnover can derail a program, but Wisconsin has taken a major step forward instead. The reason? Gard didn’t just replace talent—he rethought how the entire program operates.
Coach Gard has evolved with the landscape—both on and off the court. In an era where roster management is as crucial as X’s and O’s, he reshaped his coaching staff to reflect a more professional model during the offseason.
He elevated longtime staffer Marc VandeWettering into the team’s Chief of Staff role, making him Wisconsin’s de facto general manager. This move allowed Gard to take on more of a CEO-like approach, helping delegate responsibilities and modernizing Wisconsin’s basketball operation. To improve the team’s offense, he carved out a full-time role for Kirk Penney as the "offensive coordinator."
He also brought in Lance Randall for his extensive coaching experience, hired Greg Stiemsma to oversee player development, and added Isaac Wodajo as the Director of Recruiting and Scouting.
These moves weren’t just about filling spots—they were intentional steps to build a well-rounded staff that could maximize Wisconsin’s potential in today’s game.
And that impact has shown up in roster construction as well.
Despite those losses—and without the financial resources some of their counterparts have to go shopping in the portal—this coaching staff built a roster that fits together seamlessly. The result? One of the most dynamic scoring teams Wisconsin fans have seen since its national championship run in 2014-15.
The additions of John Tonje and Xavier Amos, combined with the retention of program guys like John Blackwell, Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, Nolan Winter, Carter Gilmore, and Kamari McGee, have helped Wisconsin take a major step forward in this offensive system that Kirk Penney helped Gard implement.
The Badgers now sit at No. 6 in adjusted offensive efficiency—their best mark since Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, both first-round NBA draft picks, led what KenPom still rates as the most efficient offense in college basketball history.
For Gard, the success starts with roster construction and buy-in.
"Well, we've got really good players, it’s a really good group," Gard said. "I think having the core back—retention was a big piece of our offseason even though we lost some guys. Being able to have Steven Crowl back, Max Klesmit, Carter Gilmore, Kamari McGee, John Blackwell, Nolan Winter—all returned, plus others, it anchored us, and that was important."
Retention was the first step, but identifying and landing the right additions helped take this team to another level.
"Obviously, adding really good players—John Tonje, Xavier Amos—came in right away and helped us," Gard noted. "And all the guys that returned took a step forward in their game, and the guys that came in via the portal have helped us—and they fit. It's important you have the right pieces.
"We were very intentional with how we put this team together from a recruiting standpoint, and obviously, they bought in. They love playing in this style… and so far, things have been working out pretty well."
Wisconsin’s ability to develop talent and maximize portal pieces to fill gaps has made all the difference. Blackwell, Winter, McGee, Gilmore, and Jack Janicki have all made noticeable jumps in their development with increased roles, and the Badgers’ offensive versatility has given them an edge against elite competition.
They’ve already taken down two top-10 teams this season—beating No. 7 Purdue in West Lafayette and No. 9 Arizona at home.
Not to mention, Gard picked up his 200th career win earlier this season, and his 207 victories rank fourth in program history. His .608 conference win percentage is eighth best in the Big Ten over the last 45 years, and he’s led the Badgers to two conference titles in the last five seasons. But this year might be his most impressive coaching job yet, all things considered.
But Gard isn’t the only coach turning heads this season. He joins a strong field of candidates on the 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List, which includes names like Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Matt Painter (Purdue), Rick Pitino (St. John's), Bruce Pearl (Auburn), Dusty May (Michigan), Kelvin Sampson (Houston), and Jon Scheyer (Duke), among others.
The Badgers will look to extend their winning streak to six games on Saturday when they host Oregon at the Kohl Center. Tip is set for 11 a.m. CT on FOX.
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Gard and his staff hit on John Tonje - a guy with decent but not great numbers, coming off a major injury. Made all the difference while installing a new offensive look.
Can he and his staff do it again?
Tonje, Crowell, McGee, Gilmore and Klesmith all leave, and big NIL $$$ will likely be floated in front of Blackwell and Winter.
College basketball is truly a year to year experience now.
Good for Gard - go Bucky!!!