Wisconsin basketball guard John Blackwell makes decision on 2025 NBA Draft future
John Blackwell is returning to the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2025–26 season after testing the NBA Draft waters.
If you were hoping to see John Blackwell suit up for the Wisconsin men's basketball program again, you just got your wish.
After testing the NBA Draft waters this spring, the junior combo guard has withdrawn his name from consideration and will return to Madison for the 2025–26 season—massive news for a Wisconsin team that's undergone serious roster turnover and needed its alpha back.
Blackwell originally declared for the draft in April while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, using the draft process to gain valuable feedback from NBA scouts and decision-makers. And after going through those evaluations, he’s decided the best move—for now—is to run it back.
“I’m back,” Blackwell wrote on Instagram.
From my perspective, that’s a win for everyone involved in the process.
This is a player who came in ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 211 player nationally, with several mid-major offers and quickly proved he was cut from a different cloth. In just two seasons under head coach Greg Gard, Blackwell has gone from key rotation piece to centerpiece.
Last season, the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native started all 37 games for Wisconsin and averaged a career best 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 45.1% from the floor, 80.3% at the charity stripe, and 32.8% from the 3-point line.
Blackwell was a consistent bucket-getter for Wisconsin and a steady presence in crunch time alongside a guy like John Tonje, who earned All-American honors.
Now, he’s coming back.
Blackwell will return to a retooled roster that’s added a mix of experience and upside. Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde, San Diego State point guard Nick Boyd, and Tulsa’s Braeden Carrington have all been brought in to help strengthen the backcourt. The Badgers also added Austin Rapp, a stretch forward who transferred in from Portland and landed 6-foot-10 Lithuanian big Aleksas Bieliauskas as a developmental piece with upside.
In addition to the offseason pickups, Wisconsin also managed to keep some important pieces from last year’s roster. High-upside forward Nolan Winter—part of the 2023 class—returns alongside combo guard Jack Janicki, big man Riccardo Greppi, and Jack Robison on the wing. The Badgers will also welcome a freshman class featuring New Zealand guard Hayden Jones, Middleton center Will Garlock, and four-star combo guard Zach Kinziger from De Pere, who checks in at No. 97 nationally per the composite.
It’s been one of the most aggressive roster turnovers of Gard’s tenure—and it should create plenty of competition for spots in the rotation. That said, there is still one scholarship spot left, and Wisconsin intends to use it. The coaching staff has continued exploring the international market in hopes of finding the right fit to round things out for next season.
But make no mistake—this team still runs through Blackwell. His return provides both continuity and leadership for a program trying to stay competitive in a loaded Big Ten conference and make another NCAA Tournament push. Remember, this was a group that won 27 games and earned a 3-seed last year after being picked to finish 12th in the league.
It also gives Blackwell a chance to take another step forward in an offensive system led by Gard and Kirk Penney that will need him to be the guy.
He’s already proven he can handle the responsibility. After earning Big Ten All-Freshman honors in year one, Blackwell followed it up with an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention nod as a sophomore—though you could argue that designation was selling him short. He was part of one of the most effective scoring duos Wisconsin’s had in recent memory alongside Tonje, who’s off to the NBA and looks like a potential second-round pick.
Tonje is now gone. Blackwell’s back.
Blackwell isn’t someone who does a lot of talking—but he plays with pride, carries himself the right way, makes everyone around him better, and has made real, measurable strides every step of the way.
His return didn’t just spark excitement among fans, either. “Get your popcorn folks🍿,” wrote Tonje. Janicki, his roommate, added, “Don’t have to worry about subleasing 🙏🔥,” prompting Blackwell to chime in: “we throwing a coming back party.” “Yeaaaa JB,” wrote Winter. That camaraderie is real.
In an era where loyalty is rare and the transfer portal is always calling, Blackwell has stayed grounded. He loves Wisconsin—and Badger fans love him right back. If the former Brother Rice High School standout takes another step this season, he’s got a chance to be remembered as one of the program’s greats. And based on his mindset, I wouldn’t bet against it.
The 2025-26 season will give Blackwell the chance to show NBA scouts he can be the focal point of a high-level Big Ten team—leading the way offensively while proving he can connect from beyond the arc at a much higher clip, ideally on similar or even greater volume for Wisconsin.
That’s probably the last significant step left to take in his game, alongside continued growth on the defensive end of the floor—where life should get a little easier now that Blackwell won’t always be tasked with guarding the opponent’s primary ball handler while carrying a heavy scoring load for the Badgers.
If the trajectory holds, Blackwell’s going to have another shot at the NBA next offseason—this time with a more complete résumé and an even bigger role under his belt. And with coach Gard shifting his offensive system to emphasize high-volume scoring guards and wings, it’s no coincidence Blackwell’s stock continues to rise. He looks like the next in line.
Not a bad selling point for Wisconsin moving forward, huh? Especially now that perception of the Badgers is shifting fast—thanks to back-to-back top-20 finishes in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency.
For now, Blackwell is back. And for Gard and the Wisconsin coaching staff, that’s about as good of an offseason development as they could’ve asked for.
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4:30 am, and you've already made my day!!! Thank you Blackwell & Badgers!