Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball losing John Blackwell to Duke

John Blackwell put the college basketball world on notice when he announced he was transferring from Wisconsin.

The Badgers not only lost Nick Boyd, but Greg Gard learned Blackwell wouldn't be coming back for his senior season. Now, they know their star guard will be on the Duke Blue Devils in 2026-27.

Blackwell's decision is far from surprising, especially after he cancelled his visit with Louisville. There's nothing wrong with chasing a National Championship with Jon Scheyer as it's clear Blackwell wasn't content with what Gard and company were doing in Madison.

Overall, his decision still stings for Badgers fans. He's going to a team that crushed their dreams back in the 2015 National Championship game, but who knows, a rematch could be on the horizon.

Blackwell's quest for a title runs through Duke

All things considered, neither Illinois nor UCLA was going to give Blackwell a great shot of winning a National Championship in his senior season. It's not like the Blue Devils are in the title game every year, but they're always in the mix and are once again putting forward a tremendous team for the 2026-27 season.

Wisconsin avoids facing Blackwell in the regular season

Unless these two teams meet in the NCAA Tournament, the chances of Wisconsin having to play Blackwell are quite slim. That wouldn't have been the case if he chose a school in the Big Ten, but thankfully for Badgers fans, he didn't choose the Fighting Illini, Bruins, or even Michigan as a real option.

Close the book on Blackwell returning or going pro

There was a slight chance that Blackwell's junior season was his last. Going out on 19.1 points per game certainly wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world, but this is a loaded draft class, and Blackwell knows he's better off going to the NBA a year from now. In no world did he ever plan on returning to Madison, but now Badgers fans can officially move on for good.