According to 247Sports’s Nick Osen, star forward Nolan Winter is coming back for the 2026–27 season, which is huge news for the Wisconsin Badgers.
The Badgers prioritized Winter, who was a junior last season, during the offseason and successfully resisted attempts to keep the big man and sign him to a contract for his senior year.
Winter’s 2025–26 season saw him average 13. 1 points and 8. 5 rebounds per game, with a 56. 9% field goal percentage and a 32. 6% 3-point percentage. Winter remained a very productive big man who was a great match for Wisconsin’s offense, even if his three-point percentage was lower.
Winter may have a larger role this year as he returns for his senior year, as Wisconsin has changed the way it has built its roster this offseason. In this day and age of college basketball, it’s unusual for a player to remain a Badger for all four years of his college career.
Riccardo Greppi, Jack Robison, Aleksas Bieliauskas, and John Blackwell all chose to leave Wisconsin during the transfer portal exodus earlier this offseason. Since then, Bieliauskas has pledged to South Carolina, and Blackwell has pledged to Duke.
However, the remainder of Wisconsin’s squad has remained intact. Zach Kinzinger, Will Garlock, Hayden Jones, Jack Janicki, Austin Rapp, and Winter are now anticipated to return next season. Owen Foxwell, Jackson Ball, and LaTrevion Fenderson are also joining the Badgers as freshmen (but Foxwell will turn 22 this year). Wisconsin acquired guard Trey Autry, wing Eian Elmer, and center Victory Onuetu through the transfer portal to complete the remainder of its vacancies.
Although that should complete the bulk of Wisconsin’s roster for the upcoming season, the coaching staff is still on the lookout for any possible last-minute additions from the transfer site. But Winter’s comeback is still a major boost for the Badgers this offseason.
