Now that the 2020 men’s basketball class can officially sign on the dotted line, B5Q gives you a snapshot of each player joining the fold for the Wisconsin Badgers next season...
2020 forward Ben Carlson
Position: Power forward
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 215 pounds
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota
High school: East Ridge High School
Rankings
- 247 Composite: four-star, 96.70 rating (No. 81 nationally / No. 15 power forward), No. 4 in state
- 247 Sports: four-star, 92 rating (No. 90 nationally / No. 17 power forward), No. 4 in state
- Rivals: four-star, (No. 89 nationally / No. 16 power forward)
- ESPN: four-star, 81 rating, No. 88 ESPN 100 (No. 19 power forward), No. 15 in region, No. 4 in state
Links to other B5Q posts on player
Committed to Wisconsin on September 18th, 2019
I’m excited, honored and humbled to announce that I will be continuing my academic and basketball career at the University of Wisconsin. I want to thank everyone involved in this process, especially my family for all the support they’ve given me. #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/WEPdWxoVRy
— Ben Carlson (@bencarlson23) September 18, 2019
Player breakdown
Ben Carlson is the crown jewel of the Badgers 2020 recruiting class. He is the highest rated player in the class and Wisconsin had to work hard to get him to commit. His final offer lists included offers from Xavier, Stanford, Iowa, Purdue, Creighton, Minnesota, Iowa State, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Ohio State and Colorado.
Carlson brings the inside/outside skill set that any modern big needs to have, and that Wisconsin has prized since Bo Ryan was the coach. If he can add some weight and become more effective on the boards without losing any of his outside shooting touch, he should be a major contributor for the Badgers early in his career.
UW Bio (courtesy UW Athletic Department)
Badger fans, meet Ben Carlson
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 13, 2019
Four-star recruit is excited to bring his versatile game to the Kohl Center#OnWisconsin » #NSD20 pic.twitter.com/03ssKmzYd4
Ben Carlson
6-9, 205, Forward
Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)
Four-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals … ranked No. 88 in the ESPN 100 for 2020 … Carlson currently has 1,299 career points, 745 career rebounds, 109 career blocks, 115 career assists and 83 career steals, making him the top rebounder and shot blocker in East Ridge High School history … as a junior, led East Ridge to the Minnesota Class AA state tournament while averaging a double-double (16 ppg, 11.3 rpg) … two-time all-SEC conference player … an AP scholar with honor, Carlson is a member of National Honors Society with a 4.1 GPA.