Wisconsin Basketball: How Badgers move on from Ethan Happ for 2019-20 season
By Cody Larson
Kobe King
Arguably the biggest thing the Badgers will be missing without Ethan Happ next season is a player who can effectively put the ball on the floor in more isolation-based situations. That hole in their offense could be filled by Kobe King. The former Wisconsin Mr. Basketball has not necessarily had the most ideal start to his career, but all the writings seem to be on the wall for a breakout season from King this next year.
When running a majority of your offense at a very slow pace, it is ideal to have a go-to scorer who can create his own shot for when the offense stalls. Happ has long acted as that player for Wisconsin, but with Kobe King’s combination of quick burst and ball-handling, he should be able to successfully fill in for that role.
King does have the ability to stretch the floor (he is a career 31.4 percent shooter from deep), but where he truly thrives is inside the 3-point line (an area where Happ’s absence will certainly be missed). He has a nice mid-range game accompanied by a pretty fadeaway jumper that he can hit with regularity, and his fast first step allows him to attack closeouts with ease.
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A knee injury stalled his career from taking off his first year on campus, and he seemed slightly stuck in the mix last season. But his ability to score at all three levels, and his ability to create those shots on his own, align perfectly with Ethan Happ’s exit. Because of that, next season Kobe King could finally see the stellar campaign Badger hopefuls have been waiting for.