The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team will be without another member of its freshman class this season.
Greg Gard confirmed following Wisconsin’s 94-71 exhibition victory over UW-Parkside on Saturday that freshman wing LaTrevion Fenderson will not play during the 2026-27 campaign as he focuses on academics.
The decision removes one of Wisconsin’s intriguing young players from consideration for minutes before the regular season begins, although Fenderson wasn’t expected to play a meaningful role this season.
A Racine native, Fenderson arrived in Madison as one of the state’s top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class.
The 6-foot-3, 211-pound wing originally attended The Prairie School, where he earned first-team Division 4 all-state honors after averaging 21.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the 2023-24 season.
Fenderson later transferred to DME Academy at St. John’s Northwestern in Delafield, where he averaged 14 points, six rebounds and two assists during his senior campaign.
His recruitment was an important early addition for Gard’s staff.
Fenderson committed to Wisconsin in August 2024 over scholarship opportunities from Iowa State, UW-Milwaukee and Southern Utah, among others. He eventually signed with the Badgers in November 2025.
“We are excited about the addition of LaTrevion,” Gard said on National Signing Day. “We feel that he brings a lot of physicality and athleticism to our line-ups in the future. The fact that he’s a Wisconsin kid, born and raised, and loves being a representative of the state is very important to him and our program.
“We’ve known LaTrevion for a long time and have been able to watch him mature and grow, and we’re thrilled to keep him home as a Badger. Our entire staff is looking forward to helping Tre grow into his potential both on and off the court here in Madison.”
The composite three-star prospect and cousin of former Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee brings an interesting mix of athleticism, physicality, and scoring potential to the program.
At his best, Fenderson uses his strong frame to attack the basket, finish through contact, and create opportunities off the dribble. He’s also a capable rebounder for his size and has shown an interest in taking difficult defensive assignments.
There are still developmental areas in his game, particularly his perimeter shooting and ball-handling, but the physical tools give Wisconsin something to work with long-term.
For now, however, that development will take place away from game competition. Fenderson’s absence also means Wisconsin will be without two freshmen this season.
Fellow freshman guard Josh Manchester previously suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during practice, further reducing the number of young players Gard will have available as he works through his rotation.
Fortunately for Wisconsin, the backcourt still has considerable depth.
Owen Foxwell, Jack Janicki, Eian Elmer, Trey Autry, Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger, and Jackson Ball are among the available options, along with Braeden Carrington, whose status depends on the outcome of his lawsuit.
That gives Gard several experienced players to lean on for minutes this season while the younger members of his roster continue developing.
The bigger picture is that Fenderson’s absence doesn’t necessarily change Wisconsin’s immediate expectations, but it does put his development on a different timeline and quietly raises some questions.
For a player who arrived with a lot of untapped upside for this staff to unlock, the priority this season will be getting everything in order academically before turning his attention back toward contributing on the court.
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