MADISON, Wis. - It shouldn't be a surprise that Nick Boyd took a diplomatic, calculated approach when deciding to go through the recruiting process one last time. To maximize the use of his COVID season, Boyd wanted a team that fit all his requirements: program stability, a solid roster, and a strong desire to win immediately.

It took some time, but it became obvious to Boyd that the University of Wisconsin had all the pieces he was looking for firmly in place.

"I did my homework," Boyd told BadgerBlitz.com. "I studied a bunch of different teams. On my visits, I wanted to meet the staff and get a feel for their personalities, see myself in these different places every single day, and be the best version of myself."

Boyd's decision to join Wisconsin adds to an impressive transfer portal haul for head coach Greg Gard and his staff. In addition to adding a veteran point guard from San Diego State, Wisconsin has added Virginia senior point guard Andrew Rohde and Portland freshman forward Austin Rapp.

The three players combined to average 36.5 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, all shooting over 35 percent from three last year.

"I just liked the make-up of the team," Boyd said. "Hopefully (John) Blackwell does what he needs to do to achieve his dreams, but hopefully he and I will be able to play together. That would be awesome with him and Nolan Winter out there."

"With the guys that Coach puts together and if we bring toughness from day one, we'll be in a good spot."

Following San Diego State's elimination from the NCAA Tournament First Four and his end-of-season meeting with the Aztecs staff, Boyd entered his name in the transfer portal with a "do not contact" designation. Instead of running college contacts through an agency, Boyd relied on his uncle Fred Hill, who has four decades of experience as a Division-1 head coach and assistant, and helped him navigate the chaos.

Boyd narrowed his choices to official visits to Wisconsin, North Carolina, and a last stop in Washington.

It's not hard to see why Wisconsin coveted Boyd. With the Badgers losing two seniors to graduation and potentially Blackwell to the NBA Draft, the 6-3, 175-pound Boyd joins the program with 119 career games played (82 starts), seven NCAA Tournament game appearances, and a history of being a consistent shooter. Boyd has shot at least 40 percent from the floor in each of his four college seasons while shooting better than 35 percent from three in three seasons.

Starting all 31 games this past season for San Diego State, Boyd averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.

"Listening to Wisconsin assistant coach Kirk Penney," Boyd said, "and his vision for the offense and how fast he wants to play, putting myself there and giving me a chance to play in March and make a deep run, that's what I'm looking forward to."

Boyd calls Wisconsin's recent success tangible, citing the Badgers playing in the Big Ten Tournament championship the last two seasons and finishing in the top half of the conference eight times in the last 10 years. But unlike North Carolina and Washington, Wisconsin had consistency at the head coaching position that Boyd could buy into.

"The coaching staff has been there for years on years," he said. "Coach Gard has been in the program for 20-plus years as an assistant coach and a head coach. That meant a lot to me in recruiting to have somebody who has been in the fire there. I know what I'm going to get from him in terms of his everyday approach. He is not someone who is on the hot seat. He's comfortable where he is at. He just wants to win, and that's what drew me to him.

"Coach hires from within, so that's another thing that spoke volumes. The fact that Wisconsin hasn't necessarily had the best talent but had the best teams, that's something I wanted to look for my final year. That's what you need in March, a bunch of guys who are willing to sacrifice whatever it is to win the championship."

Boyd knows a thing or two about being on a team that is willing to fight for championships. During his 2022-23 season at Florida Atlantic, Boyd started 37 of 38 contests in 2022-23, playing at least 20 minutes 32 times. However, playing next to first-team all-conference selections Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin and future first-team All-Big Ten selection Vlad Golden, Boyd did the dirty work and averaged 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.4 minutes. He registered seven rebounds in the regional final to send Florida Atlantic to the Final Four and hit a team-high four three-pointers in the national semifinal.

During his campus visit, and having studied the roster, Boyd sees similarities between his Owls team and his future Wisconsin teammates.

"One thing about Florida Atlantic was we had good guard play and guards who could shoot the heck out of the ball," Boyd said. "You see the pickups from the transfer portal and the guys who return back, everybody can shoot and dribble. That's really important when you talk about March because you got to be able to make shots and ultimately make plays when it comes down to the wire.

"You're seeing that now with Florida having great guards who get up and down and make big plays. We saw that with Alabama and Auburn this past year. Shooting the heck out of the ball opened up the court and gave us space to create plays. When you play with a bunch of shooters around you, it's really hard to pick your poison. Wisconsin was top-10 in offensive efficiency this past season. Playing in the system where I can have space and get easy looks, I think that really translates to March."

Joking he had only kept a light coat from the one season of high school he spent at the Bosco Institute in Crowne Point, Indiana, Boyd will arrive in a few months to begin offseason workouts. After successfully growing the games of transfers A.J. Storr two seasons ago and John Tonje last year, Wisconsin will now get the chance to push Boyd.

"This year I played with the ball a lot in my hands," Boyd said. "I don't think it will be in my hands as much, but here at Wisconsin I want to be more efficient. Whether that's taking easier shots or putting myself to make easier shots, I know how fast we're going to play and how hot the ball is going to be in the system, I'll be able to get a bunch of easier looks.

"Obviously I'm going to keep developing my passing game. I feel like I am an underrated passer. With the guys around me and the shooters around me, I think that will take a jump. I just want to grow as a person on and off the court." "I think this is going to be a great challenge for me to play at the highest level every night. I am going to be someone that shows that they love to compete. I can't wait to get out to the Kohl Center and play with passion, joy, and emotion."

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