The Wisconsin Badgers basketball team is facing another departure, as reserve forward Chris Hodges has decided to leave for his final year of eligibility, entering the transfer portal. Hodges, a native of Schaumburg, Illinois, originally joined the team in the Class of 2021 as a three-star recruit. Despite his promise, he struggled to break into the rotation during his four years at Wisconsin.
Throughout his tenure with the Badgers, Hodges appeared in 39 games, accumulating just 68 minutes of playing time. In those limited opportunities, he managed to score four points, secure nine rebounds, and block four shots. His time at Wisconsin was marked by minimal playing time and limited impact on the court.
Hodges’ decision to transfer follows the path of two other Badgers players who have entered the transfer portal this offseason. Point guard Daniel Freitag was the first to announce his departure, which came as a significant development for the team. Freitag, a four-star freshman, had been with the program for just one season before deciding to transfer. His departure marks a notable shift in the team’s roster.
Camren Hunter, another transfer, also made the decision to leave Wisconsin after a less-than-expected experience. Hunter, who was part of a group of three transfers brought in during the 2024 offseason, did not make the impact he had hoped for in his sole year at Wisconsin. He was unable to secure a spot in the rotation, contributing to his decision to seek new opportunities elsewhere.
With these three players entering the transfer portal, the Badgers now have a total of five open scholarship spots for the upcoming season. This opens up significant possibilities for the team to use these spots in the transfer portal, potentially bringing in new talent to strengthen the roster for the 2025 season.
As the Badgers continue to navigate roster changes, the departures of Hodges, Freitag, and Hunter reflect broader trends in college basketball, where player movement is becoming increasingly common as athletes look for better opportunities to play and develop their skills. The team’s coaching staff will now have the task of reshaping the roster to maintain competitiveness in the upcoming season, while balancing the influx of new talent with the returning players already in the program.
