Coming off a 27-10 season that ended with a trip to the Big Ten title game and their second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, Wisconsin entered the 2025-26 season with plenty of optimism — and a few unanswered questions.
The biggest question came with the departure of John Tonje to the NBA. A consensus Second Team AP All-American in 2024-25, Tonje averaged nearly 20 points per game and served as the focal point of the Badgers’ offense. With his scoring gone, the question became clear: who would — who could — replace that level of production?
Enter Nick Boyd. Wisconsin brought Boyd in through the transfer portal to help ease star guard John Blackwell’s offensive load, and so far he’s done that and more. Boyd has been everything the Badgers could have hoped for. He’s taken a major leap forward this season, averaging nearly 20 points per game while playing 30 minutes a night. After a slow start to begin the season, Wisconsin has improved to a 14-6 record due to, in large part, Boyd’s ability to score at ease.
Boyd’s rise has been anything but typical. Now a fifth-year transfer with the Badgers, he spent his first three seasons at Florida Atlantic before playing at San Diego State last year. As a freshman, Boyde came off the bench on a 13-10 Owls team. But each season brought steady growth. Over his next two years, Boyd became a dependable rotation piece, playing around 25 minutes a night during some of the most successful seasons in FAU history — including the program’s improbable Final Four run in 2023.
Boyd gained valuable experience in high-pressure moments and played a meaningful role in the Owls’ success, including 12 points in their Final Four game against San Diego State. He capped his pre-Madison journey at San Diego State, where he took another step forward, averaging nearly 15 points per game in 30 minutes a night while continuing to make his impact felt on the defensive end. Boyd’s path hasn’t been conventional, but with perky athleticism and an endless motor, he has always possessed the tools for stardom.
Wisconsin’s recent success against quality opponents has been fed by Boyd’s ability to come through when it matters most.
In Wisconsin’s road upset over No. 2 Michigan, Boyd’s experience shined. Having played in Final Four games, conference championships and high-stakes road environments, he looks comfortable in moments that often rattle players. So in a hostile venue facing one of the best teams in the country, Boyd’s steady leadership was instrumental in keeping the Badgers calm and composed when every possession mattered. He finished the game with 22 points, helping lead the Badgers to one of their best wins in recent memory.
Boyd’s presence has given Wisconsin a secondary scorer alongside Blackwell. Whether he’s scoring on the perimeter, finding open teammates or making timely shots, the offense doesn’t live or die with one man, giving the Badgers spacing on the court that forces opponents into picking their poison. Pair that with his ability to lock up opponents on the defensive end, and it’s clear why Boyd has become an indispensable part of this Badgers squad.
As this season has trudged along, one thing has become increasingly apparent: Boyd exponentially expands Wisconsin’s ceiling. His scoring ability gives him the potential to take over games for Wisconsin, and with the experience of a college basketball veteran, his calm trickles down to the rest of the roster.
After years of steady growth, Boyd’s unconventional journey has led him towards a Wisconsin team that without him, would be severely limited. Now, with Wisconsin threatening to make noise in the Big Ten season and beyond, Boyd is at the center of it all.
