MADISON, Wis. – Twelve of the 15 players on Wisconsin’s roster saw action in Saturday’s 94-71 exhibition victory over UW-Parkside, the unofficial start to the 2026-27 season.
It was not a surprise that forward Austin Rapp (knee) and guard Josh Manchester (season-ending shoulder surgery) would not participate, but it was a mild surprise that freshman LaTrevion Fenderson didn’t get some minutes.
It was even a bigger surprise when head coach Greg Gard said that Fenderson isn’t in the team’s plans at all this season.
One of the highest-rated recruits in the state in the 2026 recruiting class, Fenderson will reportedly spend the next season focusing on academics and won’t dress for games during his first season on campus.
Fenderson, a Racine native, spent last season playing with DME Academy at St. John’s Northwestern in Delafield. He averaged 14 points, six rebounds and two assists per game, similar numbers that he averaged on the Under Armour AAU circuit (17/6/2).
A similar situation in past seasons would result in a player using his redshirt to retain a year of eligibility. However, the NCAA rules committee passed a new “five-in-five” model that gives athletes five seasons of competition within a five-year period, essentially eliminating redshirt and wavers.
That rule could allow Fenderson to change his mind at any time and see the floor, much like Zach Kinziger did last year when he made his debut in December.
Wisconsin is still in a healthy position with its guards. The Badgers started Owen Foxwell at point guard, Jack Janicki at shooting guard, and Eian Elmer on the wing in the first exhibition with Trey Autry, Jackson Ball, Braeden Carrington, Hayden Jones, and Kinziger coming off the bench.
Carrington is currently eligible, as he’s part of a lawsuit against the NCAA after his graduating class last year was excluded from the “five-in-five” model.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as One of Wisconsin basketball’s star freshmen won’t play for the Badgers this season.
