Following the Wisconsin Badgers’ open practice earlier this week, many members of the media had different things to say about different guys. However, one thing that seemed to remain consistent no matter the source was that the two sophomores, Will Garlock and Zach Kinziger, look ready for a second-year leap.
Both Garlock and Kinziger had their moments in year one, taking advantage of the limited minutes they were given to prove what kind of impact they can make. However, it was clear for both of them that, despite the talent they clearly possessed, the college game was still just a bit too fast and physical for them. With that said, a year of development within a program can do wonders in regards to long-term development, and it seems as if that is the case for both of these young men.
Garlock’s Unique Impact
Last year, around this time, a similar buzz was forming around Garlock’s name. It was clear from the moment that he stepped on campus for Wisconsin that he possessed talent and athletic gifts which were rare for a college big man, and immediately popped on tape. However, despite his talent, Garlock struggled to find the court consistently last season. He looked rushed with the ball offensively, leading to some sloppy turnovers. And on the defensive side of things he didn’t seem to know how to control his body whilst playing physically, leading to a lot of fouling.
#Badgers HC Greg Gard comments on Will Garlock’s improvement after his first season: pic.twitter.com/KMoOcgu7uV
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) July 14, 2026
However, heading into year two, the buzz around his name seems to be that he has figured a lot of that stuff out. The footwork, ball skills and athleticism still pop, but now he has some added weight and with a year of experience under his belt, he better understands how to make an impact on the college game.
The Void Kinziger Fills
A lot of eyes were on Kinziger when he first came to Madison, as to anyone following Wisconsin high school hoops, it was abundantly clear the kind of offensive talent he had. This talent was carried over to his early days with the Badgers, but he didn’t prove enough for Greg Gard to feel confident enough giving him a consistent role right away. As a result, it took a while before he gave Kinziger a chance, and once he finally did, results weren’t great…