MADISON, Wis. – The 2021 recruiting class for the University of Wisconsin is signed, sealed and delivered on the first day of the fall signing period.
Wisconsin men's basketball head coach Greg Gard announced Wednesday that high school seniors Chucky Hepburn, Chris Hodges and Matthew Mors have signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Wisconsin and will join the Badger men's basketball roster beginning with the 2021-22 season.
All three players are rated three-star recruits by Rivals.com.
"We are really excited to welcome Chris, Chucky and Matthew into the Badger Family,” Gard said of Wisconsin’s 2021 Signing Class. “All three of these young men identified that Wisconsin was where they wanted to be early in the process and never wavered. In fact, they formed a bond with each other as Badgers long before making it official. They will each be an excellent fit for our program, both on and off the court, and we look forward to the opportunity to work with them beginning next summer."
Chucky Hepburn
6-1, 185, Guard
Bellevue, Neb. (West)
A native of Bellevue, Nebraska, Hepburn was named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020 after leading Bellevue West to a record of 21-3 and the Class A state championship. Hepburn was a three-time All-Metro First-Team honoree (2018, '19, '20) and earned First-Team All-Class All-State honors in 2019 and 2020. He averaged 17.7 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game as a junior. During his sophomore season, Hepburn took home 2019 First Team Super-State honors from the Lincoln Journal Star averaging 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game. A member of the Team Factory AAU program, Hepburn garnered third-team All-Metro honors from the Omaha World-Herald in 2018 after leading Bellevue West to the state championship game as a freshman. Off the court, Hepburn earned the HomeSchool Papillion TeenService Award and was a Special Olympics Volunteer Award winner.
Gard on Hepburn:
"Chucky is a proven winner. Our staff watched as he led his Bellevue West team to a state championship last winter. A true point guard, Chucky brings everything we look for at that position. He leads by example, always giving maximum effort on both ends of the floor. He has tremendous vision and feel for the game, combined with the ability to score from all three levels. As much as he is able to carry his team on offense, what makes Chucky a great fit here at Wisconsin is that his defense and toughness is where he hangs his hat. A leader and role model in the community and a motivated student, Chucky is the kind of person we are excited to add to our Badger Family. We’re excited to get to work with him and to help him reach his potential as a Badger in the years to come."
Chris Hodges
6-9, 235, Forward
Schaumburg, Ill. (HS)
Hodges continues a long line of Badgers to come from the suburban Chicago area. Last season as a junior, Hodges was named Mid-Suburban League West Player of the Year after leading Schaumburg High School to a 25-7 record, winning the MSL championship and advancing to the Regional Finals. He earned Second-Team Class 4A All-State honors with the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, while also being named a unanimous MSL all-conference honoree and a unanimous all-area selection. The 6-foot-9 power forward averaged 15.5 points (69.8% FG shooting), 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game last season. Hodges was named to the all-tournament team at the prestigious York 32 Team Holiday Tournament. As a sophomore, Hodges earned All-Area honors from the Daily Herald after posting 16 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2 blocks per game helping Schaumburg to a regional championship.
Gard on Hodges:
"Chris is an excellent addition to our program and member of another strong recruiting class. He impressed our staff immediately during our advanced camp and has continued to improve since. Chris has tremendous potential with his large frame and natural strength, paired with an eagerness to get better. He will immediately bring both physicality and tenacity to our program. Chris fits in well with the work ethic and culture that our program has established. He comes from a great family that has clearly taught him to value hard work and education first. We are excited to welcome both Chris and his family to the Badger Family."
6-9, 225, Forward
Yanktown, S.D. (HS)
A consensus top-150 recruit, Matthew Mors enters his senior season as the rare four-time all-state selection and reigning back-to-back Gatorade Player of the Year in South Dakota. The 6-foot-7 forward first joined the Yankton High School varsity team as a seventh grader and promptly helped the Bucks to the 2016 state championship. The 2020 South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association Class AA Player of the Year, Mors enters his senior season as South Dakota's Class AA all-time leading scorer with 2,127 career points and counting. As a junior, he averaged 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 51.4% from the field, leading Yankton to the No. 1 seed in the state playoffs before the season was ended prematurely. Mors has averaged at least 19.0 points per game in each of the last four seasons, including a high of 24.4 points per game as a freshman in 2018.
Gard on Mors:
"We are very excited to add Matthew to our program. He has challenged himself as a student-athlete year in and out to become as well rounded a competitor as possible, both on and off the court. As a state champion in basketball and a successful multi-sport athlete in Yankton, Matthew has gained valuable lessons that will help him become the best leader and player possible. On the court, he plays with a certain level of toughness and physicality that fits our style of play, specifically in the Big Ten. He has a versatile skill set that will allow him to be effective in the post, off the dribble and is a terrific shooter from outside. Matthew's skillset, combined with a championship mentally, has us excited to begin working with him. We're excited for Matthew to join our Badger Family and we can't wait to begin working with him to help him reach his goals as a Badger."
