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By opting that he would exercise his COVID-19-afforded bonus season of eligibility, Crowl gave Wisconsin some stability in the middle with 104 starts over the last three seasons, averaging 11.2 points and 7.3 rebounds on 55.6% shooting from the field and 44.8% on 3s last season. There are questions with Crowl, specifically with the presence of his game after game aggressiveness that coach Greg Gard has repeatedly mentioned. But having him back undoubtedly puts Wisconsin in a better spot.

Because that also means that nobody else on the roster has to rush along.

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“Last year (as a freshman), he would bury me,” 6-11 sophomore Nolan Winter said. “I'll admit it. I'll be the first to admit it.”

Especially for a player like 6-10 freshman Riccardo Greppi who didn’t arrive to the Badgers until late August after they concluded summer workouts, Winter’s freshman season can be seen as a bit of a cautionary tale.

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Winter impressed with his skill early, but when it came to guarding bigs across the Big Ten, he looked overmatched. For that reason, he never settled into a comfortable role, mostly playing his 9.4 minutes per game behind Crowl. But this year, the Badgers are looking to use him differently. 

Winter has lined up almost exclusively at power forward alongside Crowl or another interior player throughout the preseason, which puts him in a position to earn big minutes without his trips into the game requiring him to simply hold his own in an uncomfortable spot. He put on 15 pounds in the offseason, and has even shown some shot-blocking acumen throughout practices — something Gard predicted last season that Winter could bring.

Winter’s biggest competition for minutes (and potentially a starting spot) is Northern Illinois transfer Xavier Amos, who is a versatile, sharp-shooting forward in his own right that should earn significant time for the Badgers as he continues to acclimate with his new team. With that trio of Crowl, Amos and Winter, Wisconsin’s forward rotation doesn’t look like it has taken much of a step back even after losing longtime starter Tyler Wahl to graduation. 

But the question still remains: Who will play behind Crowl when he’s out of the game?

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“They're all a little different in terms of size and versatility and what they do,” Gard said. “But I think that's one area we'll continue to watch and help develop … I'm not convinced who's going to be the backup.”

Greppi remains an option, but the freshman would likely struggle in early times. Winter could do it, but the Badgers have made every effort to make him a power forward this offseason. Amos could do it, but he said he’s still learning how to guard fives. 

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There’s also reserve forwards Carter Gilmore and Chris Hodges, who have played spot minutes in those areas, but both are limited in what they can bring offensively behind the efficient Crowl. 

Yet, perhaps, if the Badgers get as much as they can out of their likely top trio — and an all-conference season from Crowl like Gard said is his next step — maybe it won’t matter. Gard even alluded to one more intriguing option: Maybe they all see time on the floor together.

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“But then who's sitting on the bench?” Gard immediately asked in response to the idea. “I could only put five out there, right?”