MADISON, Wis. – There was no part of Kamari McGee’s game that the University of Wisconsin guard didn’t want to polish during last offseason.

But like most of Wisconsin’s returning players, coming off a season of frustrating inconsistencies on offense, punctuated by a number of close losses, McGee's primary focus was making sure his jumper’s consistency was on point.

Multiple workouts a day weren’t enough if he didn't run them at game speed, or the shots weren’t ones he’d attempt on a nightly basis in the Big Ten.

“There’s always room for improvement, and my jump shot really needed it,” McGee said. “I’ve always been a good shooter, like coming out of high school (and) my freshman year ... Some guys in workouts like to chill, go a little slow just to get the motions down. I was going game reps all the time to make sure it’s flowing naturally so when I get in the game, going 100 miles an hour, it’s not different or a shock.”

McGee is one of several critical role players on Wisconsin’s 2023-24 roster, the reserve point guard who is tasked with maintaining the offense’s rhythm when he is summoned off the bench. It is the same role he was assigned to last year, but one that didn’t come as naturally after he transferred to the program from Green Bay.

Leaving as the Phoenix’s leading scorer at 11.6 points and 1.9 assists per game, being named to the Horizon League's All-Freshman Team after starting 20 of 30 games, McGee’s averages dipped to 1.3 points in only 7.3 minutes per game.

The lack of guard depth put a burden on starter Chucky Hepburn and an offense that limped through the season averaging 65.3 points per game.

In the few glimpses the media has seen, the time in the gym during the last six months appears to have been well spent. Named the White team’s starting point guard during the annual Red-White Scrimmage by head coach Greg Gard, McGee’s comfort level was evident with a final stat line of six points, three assists, two steals, and one turnover in 26 minutes.

“You could tell (that) his experience showed,” Gard said.

McGee was responsible for one of the afternoon’s many highlights, an over-the-shoulder pass to wing A.J. Storr that resulted in a two-handed slam in the scrimmage’s early minutes. The quickened tempo was prevalent throughout the afternoon, a sign that the Badgers could return to the style that led them to a conference title two years ago.

Led largely by All-American Johnny Davis, Wisconsin averaged 66.5 possessions per 40-minute game in 2021-22, ranked a modest 215th in the country but was the program’s quickest tempo since kenpom.com started tracking data in 2002.

Without Davis, and super senior Brad Davison, leaving the Badgers inexperienced and thin in the backcourt, UW’s tempo shrunk to 63.6 possessions per game last season (337th nationally) and took the offense down with it.

Open practices and the October 15 intrasquad scrimmage show that the flow of the offense, along with the movement and spacing, has been embraced by the roster.

“I like (the quicker tempo), and I believe the guys like it,” McGee said. “It’s what I’m accustomed to growing up – fast-paced, pressing, and things of that nature. A lot of guys in AAU that’s what they played. It’s pretty fun, and it’s going to be fun working with it throughout the year.”

“Fun” has been used by several players to describe Wisconsin’s preseason camp, which included a closed-door scrimmage against Northern Iowa at UW-Platteville on Saturday and a home exhibition game against UW-Stevens Point on November 1.

For one thing, the intensity in practice has changed compared to last year. It stems from having a deeper roster (a point of praise mentioned often by Gard during the offseason) and more veterans in a UW system that allows them to be in the right places at the right time.

McGee is one of those players and believes he has more to offer on a roster filled with guys who have something to prove.

“Almost every spot is filled to the max,” McGee said. “It helps (in) pushing each other. If a guy gets tired, we’ve got someone to come in and keep that same energy, keep that pace going, keep everything flowing the way we want it. The depth is a big part of the team success so far.”

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