Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter has more to achieve before pursuing NBA goal

Story by

Story by
Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter has more to achieve before pursuing NBA goal

John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Thu, Oct 8, 2026 ·

4 min read

About Our Ads

ROSEMONT, IL – As Nolan Winter stepped into a large convention center room for his second Big Ten media day trip in as many years, his longstanding goal of reaching the NBA was somewhere in the back of his mind.

"Obviously the NBA is always the goal," Winter told the Journal Sentinel. "If you ask everybody here, they'd all say that."

At the forefront of his mind, though, is the desire to "leave a mark" on Wisconsin men's basketball in his fourth season with the Badgers. The most obvious way to do that is tied to what the Badgers can achieve – and what it hasn't achieved recently – in March.

"I came here in hopes to make a deep run in the tournament, and so far, I really haven't been able to do that to the standard that I've hoped," Winter said several months after UW's eighth consecutive postseason without a Sweet 16 trip.

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) dunks the ball on Northwestern forward Arrinten Page (22) during the second half of their game Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Northwestern 85-73.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Badgers forward Nolan Winter tries to squeeze between a pair of TCU defenders during the first half of the Rady Children's Invitational championship game at Jenny Craig Pavilion on Nov. 28 in San Diego
(Orlando Ramirez, Getty Images)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) passes the ball during the second half of their game Monday, November 17, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Southern Illinois-Edwardsvillen 94-69. Sentinel
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) is fouled by Southern Illinois-Edwardsville guard Corentin Efono (17) during the second half of their game Monday, November 17, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Southern Illinois-Edwardsvillen 94-69.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) hits a three-point basket s Ball State forward Mason Jones (24) defends during the second half of their game Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Ball State 86-55.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) grabs a rebound during the first half of their game against Campbell Monday, November 3, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 24: Nolan Winter #31 of the Wisconsin Badgers scores from under the basket against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half of the exhibition game at Fiserv Forum on October 24, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
(John Fisher, Getty Images)

Michigan guard Tre Donaldson (3) and Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) battle for a rebound during the first half of Big Ten Tournament championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) warms up during practice at Ball Arena.
(Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images)

DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 20: Nolan Winter #31 of the Wisconsin Badgers grabs a rebound against Kai Johnson #1 of the Montana Grizzlies during the first half at Ball Arena on March 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter hits a three-point basket over Detroit Mercy guard Nate Johnson during the second half Sunday at the Kohl Center in Madison. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Wisconsin's Nolan Winter speaks during Big Ten men's basketball media days Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
(Talia Sprague, Imagn Images)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) dusk the ball during the second half of their game Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Oregon beat Wisconsin 77-73 in overtime. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) scores during the second half of their game Sunday, December 22, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Detroit Mercy 76-53. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 01: Nolan Winter #31 of the Wisconsin Badgers shoots a three pointer over Ty Berry #3 of the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on February 01, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) is guarded by Oregon center Nate Bittle (32) during the second half of their game Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Oregon beat Wisconsin 77-73 in overtime.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) blocks a shot by Nebraska forward Juwan Gary (4) during the first half of their game Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

How much time Winter has to accomplish that unfinished business remains unclear.

The NCAA's recent switch to an age-based eligibility model means that he could theoretically spend two more seasons in Madison rather than one, but that's only if he chooses to go that route.

"Honestly I don't have a lot of thoughts on the future. … I'm focusing on this year," Winter said. "I'm letting this year kind of take care of itself. And whatever happens happens. But right now, my focus is this year and this team."

Simply the fact that Winter has spent four years at the same school puts him in unique company in a room with two players from each of the 18 Big Ten schools. The only others were Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr and Rutgers' Jamichael Davis.

"That's rare," Gard said. "And I think that's important. … He wanted to come back to Wisconsin . He had an opportunity to go other places. There was interest. I'll stop at that word. But we're in a new age, and I think Nolan's obviously one of the last remaining people."

Winter also has acknowledged the outside interest in his talents, saying in April that it is "hard not to hear what other teams have to say and offer."

Wisconsin's Nolan Winter (31) celebrates a three-pointer during the Indiana versus Wisconsin men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.

The outside interest in Winter – and his loyalty – followed an impressive rise in his first three years in Madison. He went from averaging 2.4 points as a freshman to 9.6 as a sophomore and 13.1 as a junior. His field goal percentage, rebounds and minutes also have grown each year.

Winter's 12 double-doubles in 2025-26 were the third-most for a Badger since 2000, and his 69.9% shooting from 2-point range ranked 10th nationally. Gard believes Winter has the potential to be a first-team all-Big Ten player in 2026-27.

With that trajectory, an NBA opportunity could be looming.

"If he has an opportunity to go to the next level after this year or come back to Wisconsin, he's got to do what he wants to do," Gard said. "But I hope he has a great enough year that, yeah, he does get his name called in June. That'd be awesome. That'd be a win for everybody."

Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell tested the NBA draft waters for the last two offseasons before returning to the Badgers in 2025 and transferring to Duke in 2026 .

The idea of similarly going through the draft process – and consequentially getting draft feedback – had some appeal to Winter, but it was not practical after his late-season ankle injury.

"I was somewhat planning on doing it until I realized where my ankle was at and what we needed to do with that first and foremost," Winter said. "So that's what kind of went through my mind. … For whatever happens in the future, we wanted to make sure that was all set and good to go."

The ankle recovery – while foiling any testing of the draft waters – did provide an opportunity for Winter to physically improve with strength coach Jim Snider. (Fellow forward Austin Rapp also improved physically while recovering from a knee injury.)

Winter also wants to improve this season in his 3-point shooting, which was one of the few areas of his game that did not improve in 2025-26.

"Shooting the three more consistently is something that needs to be better if I want to be in the NBA at a high level," Winter said. "I need to shoot that better, and I know that. That, continuing to get stronger and, in every part of my game, growing a little more and a little more, 1%."

Any improvements in those areas could naturally help with another of Winter's goals – to finally win in March.

"It's something that I want to do for this university, the fans and my teammates, most importantly," Winter said. "And the coaches. They pour into us every day."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Nolan Winter has more to achieve before pursuing NBA goal

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by:

Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter has more to achieve before pursuing NBA goal

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26

Nolan Winter mixes scoring, rebounding for Wisconsin basketball in 2025-26