Wisconsin Basketball: How Badgers move on from Ethan Happ for 2019-20 season
By Cody Larson
Brad Davison
Despite having some controversy around his name on the nationwide scale, one thing is certain, Brad Davison is the type of player you love to have in your lineup. His rough neck, “always on the ground” style is reminiscent of old school Badger guard play, and Davison could be the epitome of what it means to play for Wisconsin next season.
On numerous occasions in the past, he has dragged his team through rough patches off of pure effort. But with Ethan Happ no longer in the fold, he might be put in those “dragging” situations even more-so for the foreseeable future.
His motor should be ready to carry that kind of load, but whether or not he can carry a larger chunk of the offensive production has yet to be seen. With an increased amount of shot opportunities coming his way he will need to prove his ability to score at a higher consistency, something that dropped for him across the board during his sophomore campaign.
It is fair to speculate the reason for that being Davison was coming off of shoulder surgery. Another off-season of recovery could do wonders for his percentages. Because outside of his iffy shooting strips he has all the tools. He can score inside and out off of pick-and-rolls, he is great in off-ball situations, and he also is respectable at getting to the foul line.
Brad Davison should act as the heart of Wisconsin’s lineup next season, being able to “beat” more efficiently will be key though (especially under an increased workload). The signs are pointing towards him being able to do that, which should help Badger fans sleep a little better at night.