Former Wisconsin men's basketball forward to participate in professional showcase (2024)

A key member of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s last five teams will take his first steps toward a professional career this month.

Badgers graduate forward Tyler Wahl is one of 64 players invited to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a professional showcase in Virginia featuring some of the nation’s best college basketball seniors. Wahl will join a group of eight teams of eight players apiece playing in a 12-game tournament in front of NBA and international scouts from April 17 to 20 at Churchland (Virginia) High School.

Wahl was placed on the Portsmouth Sports Club team, joining players from St. John's, Villanova, Oregon, Alabama and more. Illinois' Marcus Domask, Michigan State's A.J. Hoggard Jr. and Tyson Walker, Ohio State's Jamison Battle, Maryland's Jahmir Young and Donta Scott are the other Big Ten representatives at the tournament this year.

Former NBA starsRick Barry, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, Tim Hardaway, Dennis Rodman and Jimmy Butler are notable alumni of the tournament.

Wahl seeks a professional future following a milestone-filled career at Wisconsin. Wahl, a 6-foot-7 point forward at the time of his signing, developed into one of the Badgers’ marquee offensive and defensive presences on the interior in his five-year stint in Madison. He finished his career as Wisconsin’s all-time leader in games played (162), including playing in 106 wins (fifth in Badgers history).

He was the most-experienced player on this season's Badgers roster and their only player departing due to graduation. He opted last offseason to use his COVID-19-awarded additional year of eligibility at Wisconsin after an injury hampered him for much of Big Ten play in his senior season.

Despite his team turning around things with a run to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal, Wahl looked hampered by another late-season injury, averaging just four points on 26% shooting in his final five games before the No. 5 Badgers’ upset loss to No. 12 James Madison in the NCAA Tournament’s first round — a five-point, seven-rebound performance for Wahl in his final career game.

Wahl still finished his Wisconsin career one of the more accomplished forwards during Greg Gard’s coaching tenure. Wahl, who twice earned All-Big Ten honorable mention (2022 and 2024), is just the sixth Badgers player in history to score 1,000-plus points (1,350), grab 600-plus rebounds (800) and dish out 200-plus assists (271). He averaged double-digit points for the third straight season this year, tallying 10.6 per game to go with 5.4 rebounds.