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Michael McCleary

@michaelmccleary.bsky.social

Wisconsin hoops ➡️ badgerextra.com Daily Orange U. Undrafted free agent. AP MBB Top 25 voter. Once checked myself into a high school basketball game accidentally

332 Followers  |  85 Following  |  362 Posts  |  Joined: 12.11.2024  |  1.7676

Latest posts by michaelmccleary.bsky.social on Bluesky

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What recruits will Wisconsin men's basketball will be scouting at its advanced camp? The Badgers will have several recruiting targets in the building this weekend at their advanced camp. Here's who they'll be tracking.

The #Badgers will host their advanced camp on Thursday. Here are the recruits the program will be keeping an eye on.

24.06.2025 13:23 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Former Wisconsin men's basketball standout a champion after 1st pro season It was an awfully good first professional season for this former Badgers standout.

Caught up with former #Badgers standout Tyler Wahl, who just finished his first season of professional basketball — and already won a championship.

20.06.2025 14:06 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Former Wisconsin men's basketball guard blends fashion, basketball for professional future Kamari McGee will pursue a professional basketball career overseas rather than waiting on the NCAA and hoping for additional eligibility. Why? Because basketball isn't his only goal abroad.

Spent time around former #Badgers guard Kamari McGee as he visited a class of art students last week. Even as some chose to wait on the NCAA, hoping for additional eligibility, McGee looks ahead.

A professional career awaits, and not just in basketball.

12.05.2025 15:53 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Wisconsin men's basketball star guard remains open-minded during NBA Draft prep John Blackwell is in the NBA Draft process, but remains excited about the Badgers' potential next season.

John Blackwell on the new additions to the #Badgers: "They're very talented guys. (We're going to) add some more pieces, but I'm ready to go with those guys ..."

"... If I come back."

Caught up with Blackwell, who is excited by his future, whether it's at Wisconsin or in the NBA.

14.04.2025 12:07 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Breaking down the film on Wisconsin men's basketball's new transfer point guard Nick Boyd had to prove a few things about himself with a year at San Diego State. The tape shows he made marked improvement as the season went on.

#Badgers signee Nick Boyd on the chance to play alongside John Blackwell: "I feel like we could be one of the best backcourts in the country."

Looked through film and broke down what Wisconsin is getting in Boyd, a high-value piece to its roster construction puzzle.

09.04.2025 13:09 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Breaking down the film on Wisconsin men's basketball's sharpshooting forward transfer Austin Rapp knows he has things to improve, but his base skillset already presents a lot of intriguing opportunities for Wisconsin. Here's a look at the film.

Bonus: Looked through the film and found a lot to like about the #Badgers newest sharpshooting forward, plus some areas for improvement Wisconsin may have already addressed with him.

08.04.2025 13:02 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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How a 28-hour trip landed Wisconsin men's basketball a priority transfer portal target Austin Rapp thought he might wait until after the recruiting dead period in April to go on his Wisconsin visit. But the fit with the Badgers was too good to wait.

Austin Rapp thought he'd wait to visit the #Badgers. But eight hours into a 14-hour flight, plans changed. How he landed in Madison⬇️

(Also, if Wisconsin covets a recruit, assistant Sharif Chambliss should always be the one to pick them up at the airport)

08.04.2025 12:59 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Final member of Wisconsin men's basketball's 2024 transfer class re-enters portal All three of the Badgers' transfer portal additions from last offseason could possibly depart after just one season following the latest entrance.

Xavier Amos is in the transfer portal, meaning the three members of the #Badgers 2024 transfer portal class may very well all be gone after one season.

07.04.2025 21:26 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 2
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Wisconsin men's basketball lands coveted transfer point guard with Final Four experience To address a need at point guard, the Badgers brought in an experienced one who has been to a Final Four. What to know about Wisconsin's new addition.

ICYMI: The #Badgers landed a coveted point guard in the transfer portal on Sunday. You may know him from a memorable Final Four run a few years ago.

07.04.2025 15:56 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Breaking down the film on Wisconsin men's basketball's 1st transfer addition A Brookfield Central High School graduate elected to spend his final college season with the Badgers. Here's a look at his game.

It's (apparently) transfer portal breakdown week @badgerextra.com. First, dug into the film on Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde. He has the size to play a wing, but his skillset provides some options.

Obviously, a lot more portal stuff coming later this week.

07.04.2025 15:47 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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How a 'week of silence' led Wisconsin men's basketball guard to enter transfer portal The former four-star recruit had hopes the Badgers would reaffirm their commitment, even after things ended on a discouraging note in his end-of-season exit meeting. But that call never came.

After a discouraging conclusion to his end-of-season exit meeting, Daniel Freitag told himself that the #Badgers would call with a positive message.

But that call never came. And in Freitag's eyes, it confirmed something: Wisconsin didn't want him back.

01.04.2025 12:10 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Examining how many roster spots Wisconsin men's basketball has available this offseason Scholarship limits are of the past, and the Badgers enter this offseason with a different kind of roster cap. Here's what to know about what flexibility they have.

The #Badgers have six departing scholarships (so far) and three set to enter the program. But in this new era, those numbers might not matter as much anymore.

Explained how many roster spots Wisconsin has available to build for next season.

27.03.2025 13:48 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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'No brainer': Wisconsin men's basketball building blocks pledge return after season-ending loss The Badgers' young building blocks said they'll be back, which if true, should create a solid base for Wisconsin as it builds out its roster this offseason.

"I think we had a remarkable season. So yeah, I want to be a part of it for sure."

The #Badgers young building blocks — albeit 30 minutes after their season ended — said they intend to remain with Wisconsin as it rebuilds. Previewing the offseason ahead.

24.03.2025 14:17 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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How John Tonje earned the right to miss the last shot of Wisconsin men's basketball's season The Badgers graduate guard finished with 724 points this season after another 37 Saturday, falling short in the biggest moment, yet proving again why Wisconsin wanted him to be there.

A near stunning comeback came down to one final shot. But if the #Badgers season was going to end on a miss, it would have been inexcusable if anyone other than John Tonje was the one to take it.

Wrote about how he earned that right in just one season.

23.03.2025 12:54 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Polzin: Wisconsin's latest NCAA Tournament failure stokes unflattering narrative around Greg Gard While the Badgers' second-round loss doesn’t wipe out an impressive body of work, it also does nothing to erase the questions surrounding their coach.

While the Badgers' second-round loss doesn’t wipe out an impressive body of work, it also does nothing to erase the questions surrounding their coach.

23.03.2025 05:10 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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3 things that stood out from Wisconsin men's basketball's NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss to BYU The Badgers made a compelling comeback attempt in the second half, but could not find the finishing touch to advance.

Takeaways from the #Badgers season-ending loss to BYU on Saturday, one that showed fight at the end, just not enough execution at the start.

23.03.2025 05:40 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Timeout, 10:50: BYU 67, Wisconsin 56

Getting late. Next couple minutes could decide the #Badgers season. They have missed their last four from the field.

23.03.2025 02:08 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Six team fouls on the #Badgers with 13:59 left.

23.03.2025 01:56 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Oh no. Critical moment, #Badgers down just 52-48, and an assistant coach on Wisconsin's bench just got called for a technical foul. Can't do that.

23.03.2025 01:48 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1

Halftime: BYU 47, Wisconsin 36

Brutal first half for the #Badgers, and looked like senior guard Max Klesmit had a little limp as he walked off. Wisconsin shooting 38.7% from the field and 29.4% from 3.

23.03.2025 01:21 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

BYU is up to 1.357 points per possession. The exact opposite of the start the #Badgers needed, as they are shooting 36.4%. Can't show up to games like this playing like that.

23.03.2025 01:03 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

This seems like trouble for the #Badgers. Still early of course, but the Cougars are at 1.278 points per possession so far. Trail 23-14 with 10:50 remaining in the first half. Need to pick it up on both ends, and they need their star, John Tonje, to get going.

23.03.2025 00:47 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Wisconsin's going to ride Steven Crowl again. He has five of the #Badgers' eight, who trail 14-8 with 15:45 left in the first half. Keba Keita has hurt Wisconsin so far in the pick and roll, but he just picked up a foul on a post entry to Crowl. Will be a key in this one.

23.03.2025 00:36 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Less than a minute on clock. NCAA music is playing. Let's go. Wisconsin-BYU for a trip to the Sweet 16.

23.03.2025 00:22 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Terrible seats. They’ve got us like a mile high.

23.03.2025 00:09 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Wisconsin men's basketball trusts top-25 defense as top-15 offenses collide against BYU Badgers coach Greg Gard discussed the growth towards a top-25 defense for a bulk of the season. Wisconsin got there a day before its matchup against a top notch offense.

It's NCAA Tournament Round of 32 gameday. Dug into where the #Badgers defense has grown to prevent a possible shootout vs. BYU.

Two top-15 offenses collide, but Wisconsin doesn't have any interest in trading buckets.

22.03.2025 12:32 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

#Badgers coach Greg Gard on the possible final score of Saturday's matchup against BYU that pits two top-15 offenses against each other: "Probably be 50 to 48, one of those."

21.03.2025 22:11 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Once starting competitors, junior and freshman guard adjust to Wisconsin men's basketball bench role Camren Hunter and Daniel Freitag may have envisioned something different this season, but both are making due with their situations.

Camren Hunter and Daniel Freitag both entered their time with the #Badgers thinking they might have the opportunity to start at point guard.

Now, they're not in Wisconsin's rotation, and haven't been all season. Spoke to both about the adjustment.

21.03.2025 18:30 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

#Badgers coach Greg Gard has spoken for a lot of the season about trying to get his team to a top-25 defense to match their offensive firepower. KenPom has Wisconsin ranked No. 24 in adjusted defensive efficiency as of Friday morning.

21.03.2025 16:03 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Junior forward takes advice to 'get better,' creating first March Madness moment Xavier Amos has scored double-digit points three times this season. Better play all around can put him in more positions to be an imposing ninth-man for the Badgers.

Xavier Amos always had the post moves in his arsenal. But the junior had to "get better" overall to show them. And impacting the game in other ways outside of scoring gave him an opportunity to become the #Badgers first March surprise.

20.03.2025 23:38 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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