DONE DEAL: Wisconsin Badgers have Signed Chucky Hepburn’s Replacement.

Wisconsin Badgers head basketball coach Greg Gard has found his new starting point guard for the 2024-25 season.

Central Arkansas transfer Camren Hunter announced his commitment following an official visit over reported interests from Saint Louis, Iowa, Butler, West Virginia, and Florida State, among others.

Hunter joins the Wisconsin basketball program with two years of eligibility remaining. Although he missed all of last season with an injury, Hunter averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists during his sophomore season, earning third-team All-Atlantic Sun recognition from the league.

“We’re excited to have Camren join our program. His skill set is a great addition to our team, but what also stood out to us is his character and work ethic,” Gard said in a press release. “Camren joins us from Central Arkansas, where he worked his way up and showed off his talent. He had two straight all-conference seasons before injury sidelined him this past year. When watching Camren’s game, we feel that he has a Big Ten body at the guard position that will translate here. We look forward to working with Camren to help him grow and continue to elevate his game here at Wisconsin.”

Let’s dive into what Hunter could bring to the Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s backcourt for Coach Gard next season.

Scouting Report on Wisconsin Badgers Point Guard Camren Hunter

Standing at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Hunter has excellent size for a lead guard in the Big Ten. While he might not be the “true point guard” that Chucky Hepburn was for Wisconsin basketball over the years, he has a lot of unique traits that should pair nicely with the Badgers’ new-look offensive system.

The first thing that stands out about Hunter’s game is that he’s an assertive power guard who isn’t overly shifty but stays strong and finishes off two feet when he gets to the rim. The Arkansas native appears to be comfortable finishing with either hand. When Hunter gets inside the lane and uses his floater, he averages 0.92 points per possession, placing him in the 78th percentile.

Since the Badgers’ addition of Kirk Penney, Wisconsin’s offense has gravitated toward a more European ball screen-type scheme with a lot of pick-and-rolls. Hunter plays at his own pace and with great body control. He doesn’t waste dribbles, knows how to get to his spots offensively, and is at his best when operating in the pick-and-roll, making this a good fit.

Further, according to Synergy data, Hunter ranks in the 69th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler and the 72nd percentile when you include his passes, averaging 0.939 points per possession. He’s also a 74th-percentile scorer on post-ups and a 63rd-percentile spot-up shooter.

There’s also reason to believe Hunter could play off the ball in certain lineups. Despite shooting only 31.1% from beyond the arc in his last season at Central Arkansas, Hunter boasts a career free-throw shooting percentage of 80% and exhibits proficiency with his mid-range jumper. Additionally, he did that with a high usage rating on a bad team, indicating that his 3-point percentage might improve with reduced defensive attention.

Overall, this is a strong transfer portal pickup for Coach Gard and the Wisconsin basketball program at point guard. Hunter’s combination of strength, basketball IQ, and court awareness bodes well for his transition to the competitive environment of the Big Ten Conference.