The first significant headline of Wisconsin basketball's 2025 transfer cycle passed on Monday, as freshman point guard and former top recruit Daniel Freitag announced his departure.
Freitag was the program's top recruit in the class of 2024, ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 119 player in the class, No. 12 point guard and No. 3 recruit from Minnesota. After Chucky Hepburn's transfer exit last offseason, many turned to Freitag as the program's future at the position.
The point guard rarely saw the court as a true freshman in 2024-25, playing just 29 minutes and recording two points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal. He was left out of a crowded guard rotation of starters Max Klesmit and John Blackwell, and reserves Kamari McGee and Jack Janicki.
Freitag and reserve guard Camren Hunter are Wisconsin's two departures at this early stage in the transfer cycle.
As the Badgers work to reload their roster entering 2025-26, Freitag's departure is notable enough to warrant some major takeaways:
This is college basketball's current reality
Perhaps this is a lesson to college basketball fans, even those of a program in Wisconsin that is still built on player development: top recruiting billing does not always equal instant success. Furthermore, the guarantee of four years of development is no more. Where in the past, a recruit could sit on the bench for a few years before stepping into a big role as a junior, today's landscape often sees those players search for playing opportunities elsewhere.
That dynamic has benefits and drawbacks. Either way, it's the reality of the sport's current age.
Freitag likely wasn't in line for a big role next season
As listed, Freitag played just 29 minutes this season, mostly as an end-of-the-bench reserve in the final minutes of blowout wins. He didn't necessarily excel in those limited ...
