Xavier Amos Eager to Prove Himself at Wisconsin, Eyes NBA Future

The Badgers' transfer forward talks about his portal process and how Wisconsin can help him reach his goal of playing in the NBA.

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin men's basketball program had several needs to fill on their roster this offseason, but finding a stretch forward was at, or near, the top of the list.

With the graduation of Tyler Wahl and no in-house options ready to step into a more prominent role, the Badgers staff had no choice but to hit the portal to fill that void in their starting lineup with a transfer.

In the end, Wisconsin found their guy, landing a commitment from Xavier Amos, formerly of Northern Illinois, over reported interests from Virginia, Kansas, Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Xavier, and Cal.

Amos, who has two years of eligibility left, described his initial interactions with the Badgers staff as being pivotal in his decision to transfer to Wisconsin.

"The persistence, you know, when Coach Sharif [Chambliss] called me the first time, he was very enthusiastic, and that's what I always say about Coach, he's very enthusiastic, always smiling. So, you know, that kind of caught my attention," Amos recounted.

The prompt invitation for a campus visit and the immediate connection he felt upon meeting Coach Greg Gard and the team solidified his interest.