The Wisconsin Badgers added three-star small forward Tyler Wahl to their 2019 recruiting class Thursday. Here's what Wahl's commitment means for head coach Greg Gard moving forward.
Skillset
Getting a chance to see Tyler Wahl at Wisconsin's advanced camp Friday, it's clear why the Badgers made him a top priority in the 2019 class. At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Wahl moves well and has great footwork. He understands the game on both ends and does a lot of the little things that help win games. As a junior, he averaged just over 17 points and 12 rebounds per game as one of the most versatile players in Minnesota.
"I think that Tyler would fit pretty well in just about anyone's system," Wahl's high school coach, John Oxton, told BadgerBlitz.com.. "But at Wisconsin, they value kids like Tyler who have a very high motor and are very skilled players. What sets Tyler a part from other kids in his versatility. At 6-foot-7, he can run the offense at point, he can play the wing, he can score in the post, he can defend and he can rebound.
"He just does everything very well and I think his competitive attitude and his winning mentality is pretty special. They are getting a super well-rounded, competitive kid who is going to be a really good player for them."
It will be interesting to see Wahl's ability to guard at the college level. He's advanced in that area at this stage in his development, and his versatility could allow head coach Greg Gard to use him in a number of different lineup combinations. Wahl is smart enough to stay in front of guards on the perimeter and tough enough to mix it up with bigs in the paint.
Wahl should also help the Badgers in transition, both as a distributor and finisher. He sees the court well but also scores with efficiency using either hand. Wahl is a better athlete than he appears, and a few kids found that out around the rim Friday.
Adding strength and finding consistency with his shot are two areas of emphasis moving forward.
"He needs to continue working on his ball handling and tighten that up. He also needs to work on his shooting," Oxton said. "He's not a knock-down shooter right now, but he's a very efficient offensive player. He's not a guy who will sit and hit five or six 3s in a row during a game, so he could get more consistent there. And he just needs to continue to grow as a leader. Right now he's a quiet leader who leads by example, and I think he can be a little more vocal, which we've already seen some this summer."
