Signed and Sealed: Wisconsin’s 2024 Hoops Class

With today beginning the early signing period for high school basketball players, BadgerBlitz.com takes a closer look at the commits who have signed with the Wisconsin Badgers.

After signing three scholarship players in 2023, Wisconsin officially announced two signings for its 2024 class. Let’s look at Minneapolis Breck point guard Daniel Freitag, who officially committed to Wisconsin in June 2023, and Lakeville (MN) North wing Jack Robison, who committed to the Badgers in October 2022.

Ranking: A four-star prospect by Rivals.com, Freitag is ranked the No.113 prospect in the country and the No.23 point guard.

Recruiting Competition: Freitag committed to the Badgers over scholarship offers from Baylor, California, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Virginia. He also had football scholarships to Kansas State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.

Stats: Freitag averaged 10.2 points per game as a freshman, scoring in double figures in 11 of 18 contests. He more than doubled that average as a sophomore, finishing at 26.7 points per game. Not only did he score in double figures in all 24 games, Freitag scored 20 or more points in 20 of 24 games with two games with more than 40 points and five more above 30. He had a career-best 41 points versus Orono. He averaged close to 29 points his junior season while averaging 10 rebounds per contest.

There was little doubt who the Wisconsin coaching staff viewed as their top target in the 2024 class. Freitag was extended Wisconsin’s first scholarship offer for the 2024 class while attending the Badgers’ 2021 summer high school advanced camp,

“Towards the end of the camp, Coach Krabbenhoft and Coach Gard took me to the locker room," Freitag told BadgerBlitz.com at the time after UW became his first offer. “They talked about how they enjoyed seeing me play and how they think I fit the point guard style of play at Wisconsin. They also mentioned multiple times how much they like the person I am outside of basketball and how they like my personality. And that's when they broke the incredible news.”

Freitag stayed consistent with Wisconsin. He took an unofficial visit for a game in March 2022, returned to the school’s advanced camp later that summer, and again for a football game last fall, saying his relationship with head coach Greg Gard and the coaching staff – particularly Joe Krabbenhoft – grew over each visit.

Releasing a top five in June, Freitag chose his established relationship with the Badgers and how the program develops young point guards.

“They see someone who can come right in and play right away with Chucky and then take the baton and go the rest of the way when he is gone. Daniel will 100 percent be someone who will be an impact player as a freshman. He's prepared himself to be that guy when he gets to Wisconsin.

“One of his biggest gains he's had recently is his shooting. He shoots the 3 like a shooting guard, but he also has all the point guard skills you need to be successful. He's a combo player who will work perfectly with Chucky. They are going be benefit a lot from each other because they can both shoot it, which will take pressure off the other guy.”

- Howard Pulley AAU Founder/Owner Rene Pulley

A hyper-athletic and well-rounded point guard who seems to be trending in the right direction from a polish standpoint, Freitag’s reputation is that of a volume scorer who seems to be improving as a facilitator. The future Badger is a two-sport athlete who shined on the football field in addition to the hardwood at Minnesota’s Jefferson Park High School before deciding to transfer to SoCal Academy to focus on basketball next season.

Up to this point, Freitag has shined as a score-first guard who averaged more than 25 PPG as a junior at Jefferson Park. His 6-foot-8 wingspan allows him to play even bigger than his listed height of 6-foot-3 and has helped him become an absolute nuisance as an on-ball defender. He’ll take the next step as he limits turnovers and becomes a better facilitator. He will have the chance to do so at SoCal Prep, where he’ll find himself matchup up with other high-level prospects on a more regular basis.

Freitag is a better-than-average shooter and also has a running floater in his bag, which he uses with some regularity. How he responds to a more competitive schedule at his new school will be intriguing.

- Rivals Basketball Recruiting Director Rob Cassidy

Ranking: Robison is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com

Recruiting Competition: Robison committed to the Badgers over scholarship offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, South Florida, and St. Thomas.

Stats: After averaging 4.1 points off the bench as a freshman on a senior-ladened team, Robison averaged 16.8 points as a sophomore, scoring in double figures in 25 of 27 games with nine games of at least 20.

Like how Wisconsin’s recruitment with Freitag went, the Badgers were in early with Robison when they gave him his first scholarship offer in July 2021 following a strong performance at Wisconsin’s advanced camp and a solid stretch on the AAU circuit in the live evaluation period.

“It was super special to get my first one from Wisconsin and Coach Gard,” Robison told BadgerBlitz.com at the time. “I have a lot of respect for the coaches and program there. It's a classy program with a classy coaching staff. It's a special one for me.”

Recruited by Krabbenhoft, Robison attended a Wisconsin football game in fall 2021 and a basketball game in February 2022. By the time he came last fall for another visit, Robison was ready to join the program.

“Coach Gard had an amazing presentation, and at the end, I told them I was ready to be Badger,” Robison said. “I got a little emotional and they were jumping up and down - screaming and excited. It was a super special moment.

“I just feel the connection to Wisconsin when I'm there and when I'm talking to those coaches. I just feel that it's the right place for me. I have formed a relationship with them for almost two years and I just felt like it was time. I know it's early, but I was ready and I'm happy that I made the decision.”

“He has a super quick release, and he has the ability to make four of five in a row in a very short amount of time. He just has a scorer's mentality and a shooter's mentality. If is misses a couple it's like, 'well, I'm a couple more closer to the ones I'm going to make because I know I'm going to make some.' I think supreme confidence in shooting the basketball is his calling card.”

“I think the biggest thing with Jack outside of the shooting is his relentless attitude and the effort that he plays with. Just how he carries himself - his confidence is so high and he doesn't back down from anyone. Not everyone is like that and he definitely has that characteristic. As he grows and matures he's going to be a really, really good Big Ten player for the Badgers.”

“He's a very well-rounded offensive player. Very skilled and can score in a lot of different ways. You've just seen that get better and better all the time. I attribute that a lot to the added strength and confidence. That's not something he ever really lacked but it is something that continues to improve.”

- Lakeville North Coach John Oxton

Krabbenhoft played AAU basketball with the Howard Pulley program before committing to Wisconsin. Nearly 20 years have passed since Krabbenhoft made his college choice in January 2004 but the connections he made with the powerful Midwest AAU program continue to make Wisconsin a prime destination for Minnesota athletes.

Robison fits into the culture and the brand of Wisconsin basketball. He has the length and ability to defend multiple possessions and has strength as a shooter. More importantly, Robison has shown he’s willing to take charges and dive on the floor for loose balls. All those things show why the staff targeted him early and why he fits in at Wisconsin. If he turns out like former Lakeville North wing/forwards Nathan Reuvers, Tyler Wahl, and Nolan Winter, the Badgers will be quite happy.

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