Wisconsin Basketball Loses Veteran Forward to Transfer Portal
Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard has a tall task ahead of him this off-season. The two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year must replace the production of six outgoing seniors on his roster.
UW is losing its leading scorer in John Tonje, a three-year starter at guard in Max Klesmit, and a key sparkplug off the bench in Kamari McGee – and that is only in the backcourt.
As Markus Ilver, Carter Gilmore, and Steven Crowl exhausted their eligibility this year, there are few options behind starting forward Nolan Winter. Xavier Amos figures to be a key contributor in his second season in Madison, averaging 9.6 minutes per game as a junior. However, even doubling Amos’ playing time does not come close to replacing the 44.7 minutes per game Crowl and Gilmore combined for in their final year in college.
Before Wednesday, Gard’s portal losses were limited to a pair of guards. The third Badger to enter the portal is an outgoing forward, taking away a potential depth piece in Wisconsin’s frontcourt.
Wisconsin Basketball Forward Chris Hodges Enters Transfer Portal
In a social media post, Chris Hodges wrote a message to Badger Nation, noting that his “past four years at UW-Madison have been nothing short of life-changing.” The Schaumburg, Illinois native added that he has “grown not only as an athlete, but as a person.”
Hodges continued:
Madison will always have a place in my heart. I’ve made countless memories here, learned so many life lessons, and built relationships that will stay with me forever.
Thank you to my teammates, coaches, family, and best friend for all the support that you’ve given me along the way. I’ll always be grateful for the journey we shared.
After much thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal for my last year of eligibility. I’m looking forward to the next chapter but I’m proud that I was abler to be apart [sic] of Badger Nation.
The veteran forward enters the transfer portal after four years in Madison. At 6-foot-9, Hodges came to Wisconsin as a three-star recruit per the 247Sports Composite. After a redshirt year, he never quite cracked Gard’s rotation.
As a redshirt sophomore, Hodges averaged 2.1 minutes in 14 games for a thin Wisconsin basketball frontcourt following the departure of reserve big man Chris Vogt. That season, Hodges played a career-high six minutes in an 85-59 victory over the South Dakota Coyotes.
The 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient’s most-impressive performance in a Badgers uniform came in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament. In the closing five minutes of an 87-56 win over the Maryland Terrapins, Hodges snagged three offensive rebounds, collected four total boards, dished one assist, and recorded a block – all career highs.
Hodges has one season of eligibility remaining.
