Minnesota forward Jack Robison gives Greg Gard and Wisconsin Badgers first commitment for 2024 class
Jeff PotrykusMADISON – Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and his staff landed the first piece of their 2024 recruiting class Tuesday – from a familiar place:
The state of Minnesota.
Jack Robison, a 6-foot-7 forward who plays for Lakeville North High School and Howard Pulley on the AAU circuit, announced via Twitter he had committed to UW.
“I’ve always kind of known that is where I wanted to be,” Robison said by phone, noting he informed the UW staff of his decision Saturday during his visit. “So I was debating whether I was going to (commit) going into the weekend and this weekend just reassured me with everything.
“It was the right time for me. I couldn’t be more happy to be a Badger.”
Robison had scholarship offers from Minnesota, Nebraska and South Florida. His current Lakeville North teammate, Nolan Winter, has committed for UW's 2023 class.
"Nolan is my best friend," Robison said. "We're together every single day. We didn't make our decisions based off each other but I just think it is really special that we're able to play at the same high school and and same college.
"And Wisconsin has done well with kids from Lakeville North."
Former UW forward Nate Reuvers starred at Lakeville North, as did current UW senior Tyler Wahl.
"It is pretty cool to carry that on," Robison said.
Robison attended UW’s advanced camp in the summer and showed to be a bouncy, aggressive player capable of scoring from the perimeter or attacking the basket.
"I'm a guy who sticks my face in there," Robison said. "I'm not really afraid of bigger, stronger guys. I know I'm not the strongest, but if there is a ball on the ground I'm taking it on myself to get that.
"Dive on it and be the first to the floor."
Robinson, who weighs 185 pounds, will need to add strength and weight.
“Jack still has to develop and become a little stronger,” said Rene Pulley, on the board of directors of Howard Pulley, “because he is more of a string bean right now. He is wiry.
"But he has that athleticism that is (surprising). When he gets to college, with the weight-training, he will grow. All that will come...
“You have to have a high basketball IQ. And that is one thing Jack has. There are so many folks that don’t.
“It is knowing what to do it, when to do it and how to anticipate what is going to happen.”
Robison believes he can be an effective two-way player who can fill in at several positions at UW.
"In Wisconsin's program that (versatility) is pretty good," he said. "I'm also a pretty good three-point shooter.
"Defensively I am pretty long and a good anticipator, so I am good at getting steals and tipping passes. My toughness...I take a lot of charges, too."
Perhaps the only blemish on Robison's resume, at least in Gard's eyes, is that he is a huge fan of the Minnesota Vikings. That will endear him to UW assistant Joe Krabbenhoft, but Gard lives and dies with the Packers.
"They go back and forth with that stuff a lot," Robison said, laughing. "I was texting both of them when the Vikings beat the Packers earlier this year. Coach Gard makes a lot of fun about the (Vikings) with no Super Bowls.
"This year, the Vikings got them."
Minnesota defeated Green Bay in the season-opener, 23-7. The rematch is set for Jan. 1 at Lambeau Field.
UW's first commitment for the 2024 class no doubt will be texting his future head coach.