Wisconsin Basketball: 5 keys to a successful 2018-19 campaign

Nate Reuvers takes the next step

On paper, the only strong returner in the frontcourt for Wisconsin this season is Ethan Happ. And while he is admittedly tremendous, the unit around him in the frontcourt is rather weak. As we look forward to this upcoming season, senior Khalil Iverson could reprise his starting role but sophomore Nate Reuvers should play an extremely important role as well. Despite being forced into action last season (originally planned on redshirting), the former top-100 projects as a potential star for the Badgers.

At 6-foot-10 with a nice touch on his jumper, Reuvers is a versatile forward who should see plenty of minutes this season. In addition to needing to accustom to the speed of the college game, Reuvers struggled a bit last season due to the idea that he needed to add some strength. Now with an entire offseason to bulk up for the Big Ten schedule, Reuvers could be a whole different animal this season.

During last season, Reuvers appeared in 28 games (started 15) while averaging 16.6 minutes per contest. In terms of counting stats, he also posted averaged of 5.3 points (.382/.255/.833), 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. Now a sophomore, it is reasonable to expect that Reuvers will step up this season to be a strong performer alongside Happ.