Wisconsin Basketball Program Faces Apocalypse As Another Star Leaves, Coach's Fate In Huge Trouble
Wisconsin's basketball program is going up in flames with Chucky Hepburn leaving the building.
In an absolutely shocking development, the incredibly talented point guard announced on his Instagram Thursday afternoon that he's leaving the program to play his final year elsewhere.
It's a stunning turn of events. Fans are in a state of shock, and it's hard to put into words just how bad the situation is getting in Madison. Hepburn, the face of the program, is out the door, Tyler Wahl is done, Connor Essegian is transferring after an insane regression, A.J. Storr left for Kansas and this all comes after a humiliating first round tournament loss to JMU.
Chucky Hepburn is leaving the Wisconsin Badgers. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Chucky Hepburn leaves Wisconsin.
Fans are watching a doomsday scenario play out in front of their eyes. The apocalypse is here. I hope you're enjoying a front row seat. As you'd expect, fans are absolutely livid. It's honestly hard to see how head coach Greg Gard survives this.
Check out some of the reactions on Reddit below:
- Never thought this was on the table. Anyone have any ideas what happened?
- College sports are dead.
- I'm pretty much done with college sports. It's minor league sports without contracts. Garbage.
- Time to see how serious the boosters really are about keeping Wisconsin's head above water. You could make the argument that the guys that have left did so because of issues with coaching or the style of play or whatever and that it didn't matter what kind of money Bucky was offering but you can't use that excuse for incoming players.
- Next year gonna be rough.
- Chucky was heavily recruited last off-season and said he never really considered leaving because of his relationship to the team. This is 100% about money.
- Not landing Fidler either. Fire Gard now
- Well, I guess let Gard earn his place this year.
- I am straight up not having a good time.
- What. The. F*ck.
- 3 starters and an extra rotation player all gone (most likely). I hope you're all ready for Starter Gilmore.
- Are we going to have a team next year? There is never any news of anyone interested in coming here.
- I hate it here.
- It’s so cool that my favorite sport is being completely destroyed by money.
- This is not going to be a fun season.
- Looks like no one wants to play for Gard, they are going to suck balls next season. Hopefully they will finally fire his ass.
- We are cooked. F*ck. Well we had our chance in 2015.
I know that many of you view me as the rational voice of Wisconsin sports (let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com if you disagree), and as that voice, I'm telling you right now I'll be shocked if Greg Gard is the head coach this time next year.
The Badgers went from being loaded with talent, rising to as high as sixth in the polls to crashing and burning in humiliating fashion and losing all the best players on the team.
I understand the frustrations and outrage about NIL and money ruining the sport. There's a conversation to be had there, but Gard's inability to manage the roster is beyond disappointing.
I'd share some text messages I'm getting from fans, but I'm pretty sure it'd get me in big trouble. Let's just say the Reddit sample above doesn't even begin to cover it.
Hepburn was the team's leader and the main part of the team's core. Now, he joins Essegian and Storr in transferring, and that's on top of Wahl exhausting his eligibility. Wisconsin went from dominating under Bo Ryan to having a roster that looks like a DIII team in less than a decade since the national title game appearance. Beyond pathetic. Again, Gard almost has no shot of being in Madison by April next year. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.