They heaped praise on Josh Gasser two weeks ago at Big Ten media day.
Wisconsin forward Ryan Evans called him “unselfish, willing to lead.” Coach Bo Ryan said Gasser had earned the right to replace point guard Jordan Taylor by being “head and shoulders above everyone else in summer workouts.”
But during practice Oct. 28, Gasser attempted a layup and his left knee gave out. Season-ending ACL surgery will turn him into a quasi-assistant coach with two years of eligibility remaining.
Gasser already sounds like a coach, heaping praise on replacements George Marshall, Traevon Jackson and Ben Brust.
“We’re not going to skip a beat without me out there,” he told reporters. “The big thing we’ll miss is just a vocal guy, a leader who’s been there and played a little bit. That’s something I can still contribute to, even if I’m not out there.”
Brust has not started a game in two seasons, making his only splash as a long-range shooter. Jackson played just 5.4 minutes per game as a freshman but has size (6-foot-2, 213 pounds) and elite basketball genes from his father, former Ohio State and NBA star Jim Jackson.
Marshall is intriguing, and not only because he led Brooks to its first Chicago Public League title in 2011. He redshirted last season, giving Taylor all he could handle in practice.
“You probably won’t even remember I was here by the time he gets done,” Taylor gushed.
Said Ryan: “He can shoot. On scout team last year, he hit eight 3s in a row one day. And we were trying to guard him.”
More Top Picks Wine Glasse
And Marshall does not lack confidence. After nailing 4 of 5 from long range Sunday in the Badgers’ Red/White scrimmage, Marshall said he’s “definitely ready” to take over at point guard, adding: “I was ready before (Gasser) went out.”
Another new face who can score is 6-7 Sam Dekker, the Wisconsin Mr. Basketball who scored 40 of Sheboygan Lutheran’s 67 points in the Division 5 state championship game.
“Guys joke with him from time to time and say, ‘You’re the face of the program!’ ” Evans said. “We have fun with it, but he is a great kid. He listens.”