What Happened to John Blackwell?

John Blackwell, born on December 25, 2004, emerged as a highly-touted American college basketball player. He attended Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he showcased his talent, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game during his junior season, with an impressive 49% three-point shooting percentage.

Blackwell committed to the Wisconsin Badgers, joining the team for the 2023-24 season. As a freshman, he quickly made an impact, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors and becoming the first Badger since Nigel Hayes in 2013-14 to receive four Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards. He averaged 8.0 points per game, shooting 45.1% from the field and 45% from three-point range.

His sophomore season (2024-25) saw him elevate his game, starting all 37 games and averaging 15.8 points per game, which earned him All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors and Big Ten All-Tournament Team recognition as he helped lead Wisconsin to the Big Ten title game. Blackwell's junior year (2025-26) marked his most successful collegiate season to date. He averaged a career-high 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, securing Third-Team All-Big Ten honors. He was also named to the 2026 Jerry West Award Midseason Watch List, recognizing him as one of the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.

On April 6, 2026, Blackwell announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal and simultaneously declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. This move, described by Blackwell as a search for an environment to accelerate his NBA development, comes after a season where he led the Badgers to a 24-11 record and a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He finished his Wisconsin career ranked 11th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,505 points. While he will explore his NBA draft stock, he is also actively looking for a new collegiate program that offers greater on-ball responsibility and a path to a national championship.