Wisconsin Welcomes Three Newcomers in 2023 Signing Class

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard announced Wednesday that high school seniors John Blackwell, Nolan Winter and Gus Yalden have each signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Wisconsin.

JOHN BLACKWELL

6-4, 185, Guard

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice)

Gard on Blackwell:

“John brings a versatile skillset that will translate to the college level almost seamlessly. While evaluating him, the staff and I quickly identified him for his physicality, feel for the game and basketball IQ. John has the ability with his skillset to play both with the ball in his hand and off of the ball. One of his greatest traits is the way he competes on the defensive end of the floor, and we feel he has the ability to be a great defensive player here at Wisconsin. John is a very humble, yet competitive young man that comes from a great upbringing. His father, Glynn Blackwell, played Big Ten basketball and was a part of some great teams at Illinois. John understands the hard work he has to put in to be successful, not only on the court but also in the classroom. We are thrilled to have John and his family joining the Badger Family, and we’re looking forward to helping him chase his dreams.”

BIO: John Blackwell, a three-star combo guard from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan has committed to play for the Badgers. Per 247 sports, he ranks as the 26th-best combo guard in the nation and the third-best prospect in the state of Michigan. As a junior at Brother Rice High School, he averaged 13 points, five rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 49 percent from beyond the arc – the highest 3-point shooting percentage in Michigan that season. John’s father, Glynn Blackwell, played four seasons at Illinois (1984-88) at shooting guard, appearing in 106 games (57 starts) for the Illini where he averaged 12.1 points per game as a senior.

NOLAN WINTER

6-10, 190, Forward

Lakeville, Minn. (Lakeville North)

Gard on Winter:

“Nolan is an excellent addition to our program. He has pushed himself both on the court and as a student in the classroom, making him well prepared to have success here at Wisconsin. Nolan has been on our radar for several years, which has allowed our staff to watch him grow and develop as a player.  He has a tremendously high basketball IQ and a versatile skillset that will allow him to be effective in the post, off the dribble and a terrific shooter from the perimeter. His game is a perfect match for who we are and where the game of basketball is going, which requires multi-dimensional players with diverse skill sets. Nolan has developed a championship mindset from his parents, who were also student-athletes, and from a tremendous high school program at Lakeville North. We’re excited for Nolan to join our Badger Family and we can’t wait to begin working with him to help him reach his goals as a Badger.”

BIO: Three-star recruit Nolan Winter has committed to Wisconsin and continues not only a family athletic legacy at the collegiate level, but also carries on a line of Lakeville North Badgers. The 6-foot-10 forward ranks as the No. 2-ranked basketball recruit in the state of Minnesota, according to 247 Sports. Winter played basketball at Lakeville North, the same high school program that current senior forward Tyler Wahl and former forward Nate Reuvers attended. During his junior season at Lakeville North, he averaged 17.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, shooting 49.8 percent from the floor. Nolan comes from an athletic family, as his father, Trevor, played Big Ten basketball for Minnesota (1993-97), and Nolan’s mother, Heidi, played volleyball for the Gophers.

GUS YALDEN

6-9, 240, Forward

Appleton, Wis. (La Lumiere [Ind.])

Gard on Yalden:

“We are very excited to add Gus to our program. We first saw Gus as a young player at our summer camps and it has been a long, exciting recruiting process to now finally call him a Badger. He grew up idolizing many former Badgers, he understands what it means to wear the Cardinal and White and takes pride in that.  He is well traveled and has challenged himself both academically and athletically in high school so that he is well prepared to thrive here at Wisconsin. Gus plays the game with a lot of enthusiasm and passion and our fans will absolutely love watching him compete in a Badger uniform. He has the size and strength to be a force around the rim, while combining that with a point-guard like feel on the perimeter to make him a very unique and talented player. We are excited to welcome Gus back home to his Wisconsin roots and we can’t wait to help him reach his dreams and goals as a Badger.”

BIO: Four-star big man Gus Yalden, a native of Appleton, Wisconsin, returns home to play for his home state Badgers. The 6-foot-9 forward ranks as a top-100 recruit in the country, according to 247 Sports. This past summer, he competed at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam in July, during which he put up a 35-point (70% FG), 17-rebound performance and showcased himself as one of the best bigs in the country. Yalden will play basketball his senior season at La Lumiere in LaPorte, Indiana, one of the top high school basketball programs in the country. Yalden spent his junior season at Asheville High School in Asheville, North Carolina, where he averaged 17 points and seven rebounds per game.