Greg Gard talks recruiting during a pandemic and future roster management

Greg Gard has plenty of variables to consider as he maps out the future of the Wisconsin basketball program.

Recruiting, eligibility, seniors staying or going and the transfer market are all bouncing around in his head. But the focus right now for Wisconsin's head coach is the upcoming season, which can begin as soon as Nov. 25.

"We talk about it as a staff periodically - several times a week, actually," Gard told reporters Wednesday when asked about future roster management. "In terms of going forward, the majority of our focus is trying to put everything in place to have a season this year and trying to play as many games as possible.

"What that looks like at the end of the day is anybody’s guess."

Wednesday's focus was on the 2021 recruiting class and the three players who signed letters of intent earlier in the day. But Gard also touched on a trio from the 2020 cycle who have put themselves in a position to contribute this season.

Forward Ben Carlson (6-9, 218 pounds) center Steven Crowl (7-0, 217) and wing Jonathan Davis (6-5, 196), according to Gard, could chip in on a team that returns every major contributor outside of Brevin Pritzl from a Big Ten title squad.

"Some days the freshmen look like they’re lost, and they’re freshmen," Gard said. "And then there’s other days - we did a little scrimmage a week and a half ago, and Steven Crowl, we're like, ‘woah, where’d this come from?’ He had one of those days. And then two days ago, Ben had that day.

"So freshmen, as we’ve all seen, there's really good days and then there’s days when they’re talking to themselves as they leave the floor. I think those three guys (Carlson, Crowl and Davis) will be in the mix. How much and what it all looks like, that’s what we have to continue to figure out."

Gard also pointed out walk-on Carter Gilmore, whose father, Brian, was on the coaching staff of Bo Ryan's first Division III national championship team at UW-Platteville in 1991.

"I tell you what, one that has been pleasantly surprising has been Carter Gilmore," Gard said. "I really have been impressed with his soundness, and he just does the right things. I haven’t seen today’s stats, but at one point he had eight assists and no turnovers and hadn’t missed a shot in our five-on-five action. He’s not taking 50 shots a day, but he just knows how to play and I’m not surprised by that because he got a lot of that from his parents. He grew up around the game."

The mix of veterans - the Badgers have seven seniors on the current roster - and youth - UW signed seven players (including Lorne Bowman, who is currently not with the team) in the 2020 class - was by design.

"Last year’s class was intentional - the size was intentional - because I knew this group of seniors - (Brad) Davison, (D'Mitrik) Trice, (Nate) Reuvers, (Micah) Potter, (Aleem) Ford, down the line - were in a position and trending towards being a really good leadership group. I wanted a young group and I always look back wishing the incoming class could have spent nine months with the class that left in front of them.

"So this was an opportunity to do that and I’ve already seen the benefits of that. I’ve watched Nate Reuvers grab Ben Carlson in practice, put his arm around him and explain something in practice. Micah Potter the same thing with Steven Crowl. That has shown already in a short time.”