Wisconsin basketball forward Nolan Winter explains decision

Wisconsin basketball received positive news on Tuesday night, as veteran forward Nolan Winter officially announced his return for the 2026-27 season.

Winter is the only starter that the Badgers will return entering next season. Point guard Nick Boyd and wing Andrew Rohde each exhausted their eligibility after 2025-26, while John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas both transferred out. Therefore, Winter's return was key to the team's success in what will be a loaded Big Ten Conference.

The forward averaged 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 2025-26, leading the Badgers' frontcourt. He is set to take on an even larger role after that roster turnover, headlined by Blackwell's recent commitment to Duke.

It's challenging to avoid comparing the two players' decisions. Both joined Wisconsin with its class of 2023 and both excelled during three seasons with the program. Now, Winter will return to lead the Badgers, while Blackwell is off to one of the sport's blue bloods.

Winter explained his decision in a social media post on Tuesday night, saying he couldn't picture himself anywhere other than Wisconsin.

"At the end of the day, I couldn’t picture myself anywhere other than with the Wisconsin Badgers," Winter wrote. "From the moment I stepped on campus, this program has pushed me to grow not only as a player, but as a person. The coaching staff believes in me, my teammates have become family, and the fans show up every night. There’s a standard here, a pride in wearing "Wisconsin" across your chest, and that means everything to me. I’m grateful for this place and excited to keep building, keep competing, and give everything I have for this team and city."