Wisconsin Basketball: Breaking down the 2018 recruiting class

Tai Strickland – Saint Petersburg, FL

Guard | 6-foot-2 | 180 lbs | No. 302 overall

Tai Strickland was an underrated recruit for almost his entire high school career. Despite being the son of former NBA player Rod Strickland, he was held back in recruiting rankings due to nagging injuries as well as his height. However, after regaining his health and experiencing a growth spurt to 6-foot-2, the athletic guard attracted the attention of several other high-major programs prior to signing with Wisconsin.

As a player, Strickland projects as an excellent two-way guard. He boasts superb athleticism and above-average size for the point guard position and this allows him both to lockdown opponents as well as operate extremely well offensively in transition. As a high school senior this past year, Strickland was particularly excellent, averaging 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game. Obviously, these all-around numbers are impressive but, as I already mentioned, it is Strickland’s defense that jumps out and he knows it (UW Badgers):

"“Everyone can score; there are a lot of scorers out there. But what separates you is if you can play both ways. And I feel that’s definitely something I can take pride in.”"

Even though Strickland will be just a freshman in 2018-19, he might already be the most athletic guard in Wisconsin’s backcourt. However, this does mean that he will immediately find playing time. This is due to the fact that the Badgers already have an abundance of guards. While it seems likely that head coach Greg Gard will deploy three-guard lineups on many occasions, it still will be difficult for Strickland to see consistent minutes. Not impossible either, though.