Badgers Earn Top Marks in ESPN’s Final 2024 Season Grades
Despite a second-round NCAA Tournament exit at the hands of BYU, Wisconsin basketball wrapped up a season that exceeded almost all expectations. Originally projected to finish 12th in the Big Ten, the Badgers—powered by transfer guard John Tonje—put together an impressive 27-win campaign and secured a third-place finish in the conference.
So where did that unexpected success land them in ESPN’s final report card for the 2024 season?
Wisconsin Secures an ‘A’ in ESPN’s Postseason Grades
Alongside Big Ten peers Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, and Maryland, Wisconsin earned an ‘A’ from ESPN. The grades were largely based on how teams performed relative to preseason projections—and few teams outperformed expectations quite like the Badgers.
After losing key players Chucky Hepburn and AJ Storr to the transfer portal, many fans entered the season with cautious optimism at best. But then came John Tonje. In just one season in Madison, Tonje cemented his legacy, averaging 19.6 points per game and emerging as one of the top transfers in the country. His standout year has him poised to hear his name in this summer’s NBA Draft.
Now, Wisconsin faces another transitional offseason. With Tonje, Steven Crowl, and Max Klesmit all departing, the team’s success next season will again depend heavily on the impact of incoming transfers. While the Badgers are projected to land somewhere between fourth and seventh in early Big Ten rankings, questions remain. Still, if there’s one constant, it’s that head coach Greg Gard knows how to get the most out of his roster. Count him out at your own risk.
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