Wisconsin updated 2026-27 roster, rotation with Austin Rapp's return

In good news for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball program, Austin Rapp announced he'd be returning for the 2026-27 season.

All signs are pointing towards Nolan Winter coming back as well, though the big man has yet to confirm his status for the upcoming season.

Regardless, Wisconsin's starting lineup is starting to come together. Losing Rapp would've meant another potential starter was on his way out. Sure, the 6-foot-10 forward only started 12 games last year, but he was a 30-game starter at Portland prior to coming to Madison.

Now, Wisconsin knows it'll have Rapp as one of its starting forwards in the 2026-27 season. Rapp would join Winter as the two bigs, should the 7-foot Minnesota native decide to stick around.

Winter and Rapp would be able to hold things down in the post, but the Badgers don't exactly have a ton of starting guards on their roster. Their bench is filled with talent, but it's not like Jack Janicki, Hayden Jones, or Zach Kinziger are proven starters.

That's not to say they can't be, but Greg Gard seems set on putting 22-year-old Australian Owen Foxwell into the starting lineup. Wisconsin was able to flip the guard from LSU, and that was a much-needed addition after John Blackwell decided to enter the portal.

The trio of Foxwell, Rapp, and Winter leaves two spots still open in the starting lineup. Janicki has appeared in 63 games, by far the most of any of the Badgers' bench players, so having him be the shooting guard isn't entirely out of the question.

That said, Wisconsin would love to add a shooting guard and small forward to round out its starting lineup. There are plenty of options out there; it's just a matter of Gard bringing new talent to the Badgers that can make an immediate impact.

Currently, the only other players on the Badgers roster are incoming freshmen Jackson Ball and LaTrevion Fenderson, along with 7-foot forward Will Garlock, who will be entering his sophomore season.

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball starting lineup, needs after Austin Rapp's return