Wisconsin basketball: Greg Gard speaks on the 2020 recruiting class

The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team moved to 2-1 on the season with a win over McNeese State on Wednesday night, but their biggest victory of the day came in the form of five signatures on five dotted lines.

The 2020 recruiting class is the best ever recruited by Greg Gard and also the best ever in the “recruiting websites” era. “Wisconsin’s five-man Class of 2020 is the No. 8 recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN.com. This is UW’s highest-ranked class in the online rankings era (since 2003),” according to the UW press release on the 2020 class.

“My staff and I are so thrilled to welcome these five terrific people and their families to our program,” Gard said. “The depth and talent from a basketball standpoint is unmistakable, but what we appreciate just as much is how they all understand the big picture and they recognize what the University of Wisconsin can do for them outside of basketball as well. They all want to be Badgers because of the great things this University and community affords them.”

“My assistants Joe Krabbenhoft and Dean Oliver have been phenomenal over the last five months, especially considering the circumstances and the Moore family tragedy we’ve endured. Alando Tucker has also fit it in seamlessly and been a tremendous asset for us. Our staff has always been a unified group, but I’ve watched them grow even closer recently and the fruits of their labor are evident with the addition of this year’s exceptional class.”

Here is what Gard had to say about each new recruit.

• Gard on Bowman: “We are ecstatic to have Lorne join our Badger family. He’s the ultimate competitor, both on the court and in the classroom, and we can’t wait to begin working with him. It was evident early on that Lorne is exactly what we look for and he’s only continued to improve. Lorne plays at his own pace, always under control, giving his team whatever it needs in the right moments with a skill-set that can turn from scoring guard to playmaker in an instant. He has a great ability to get the ball where it needs to be and can also create shots with his tremendous pull-up game. Lorne displays natural leadership, both by his extreme work ethic and also through his communication on and off the court. Lorne and his family are a pleasure to be around and represent everything that being a Badger is about.”
• Gard on Carlson: “We are very excited to add Ben to our program. His commitment to academic excellence is extremely impressive, even on a national level. He has challenged himself year in and year out to become as well rounded a student as possible and he’s looking forward to continuing to develop at our prestigious university. On the court, Ben has a tremendously diverse skill-set that should ultimately allow him to be effective in the post, off the dribble and from the perimeter as a shooter. His skills, combined with his great athletic ability, has us excited to begin working with Ben to help him reach his goals as a Badger.”
• Gard on Crowl: “Steven has so many of the characteristics that we look for, both on and off the basketball court. He has excelled at a high level both on the court and in the classroom. From the first time we saw him, Steven has continued to grow and develop as a player. He has a great feel for the game and he will be able to utilize all those skills as he continues to develop. Steven has the ability to score both inside and out, which will add him to a long list of big men who have come through this program over the years. We are excited to add Steven to the Badger basketball family.”
• Gard on Johnny Davis: “Johnny is the ultimate competitor. He’s proven that on the basketball court, on the football field and in the classroom. Johnny’s ability to play and guard multiple positions is extremely valuable in today’s game. He brings a tremendous toughness and competitive spirit to both ends of the floor. His experiences as a high school quarterback will serve him well as he makes the transition to a collegiate basketball player. He has grown up watching Wisconsin Basketball and takes pride in wearing our colors. We’re excited to get to work with him and to help him reach his potential as a Badger in the years to come.”
• Gard on Jordan Davis: “We are thrilled to welcome Jordan to our program. His commitment and work ethic on the basketball court and in the classroom is exactly what we look for in a Wisconsin student-athlete. Jordan brings a certain level of toughness to the basketball court that has been developed on the football field as a star receiver. He comes from a winning culture at La Crosse Central and knows what it takes to compete for championships. He has known Badger Basketball his entire life and his commitment shows how much pride he has in representing Wisconsin.”