Chapter 5: The Year That Could Have Been — What if Johnny Davis Stayed in 2022?
An alternate history where the Badgers' ultimate offensive weapon delays his NBA dreams and alters the trajectory of Greg Gard's program.
As Wisconsin Badgers fans, we are no strangers to heartbreak and are often left wondering, ‘what if…’ As we reflect on previous chapters—from J.J. Watt’s early exit to the tragic timing of the Polar Bear’s injury, a “What If” of the current era belongs to one of the greatest pure offensive weapons Greg Gard has ever coached.
When Johnny Davis declared for the 2022 NBA Draft after a consensus All-American sophomore season, no Badger fan blamed him. He was a locked-in lottery pick, and you cannot turn down that guarantee. But looking back on how the following season went, where the Badgers missed the NCAA Tournament altogether, it’s easy to wonder: What if the Johnny Davis-Era got a curtain call?
Catch Up on the “What If” Series:
Chapter 3: Brian Butch’s Untimely Injury
Chapter 4: What if Caleb Williams Chose Madison?
The Scene: Spring 2022
The Situation: Wisconsin (25-8) is celebrating a shared Big Ten regular-season title.
The Stakes: Johnny Davis is a consensus first-team All-American, the Lute Olson National Player of the Year, and the Jerry West Award winner. He averaged 19.7 PPG and 8.2 RPG, virtually willing the Badgers to the top of the conference.
Wisconsin entered the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a #3 seed but was upset in the Round of 32 by Iowa State in a brutal, low-scoring affair. Johnny, who had rolled his ankle badly a week prior, was clearly limited, finishing with only 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting. He was visible in tears on the bench. The season ended with an explicit sense of unfinished business that transcended a draft grade.
The Sliding Door Moment: Running It Back
In our timeline, Johnny takes his guaranteed money and is drafted 10th overall by the Washington Wizards. But in this timeline, the injury in Milwaukee changes his calculus. He spends April watching the Final Four from his couch, stewing over the Iowa State loss. He realizes his narrative in Madison is currently, “The guy who carried the team but went out on one leg.”
On April 20, 2022, two days before the draft declaration deadline, Johnny publicly announces his decision for his future: he isn’t testing the waters; he isn’t declaring for the NBA Draft. There’s still work to do. “We are running it back.”
The Alternate Reality: The 2022-23 Season
In the real 2022-23 season, Wisconsin was the worst offensive team of the Greg Gard era, averaging only 64.5 PPG. They went 9-11 in the Big Ten, missed the NCAA Tournament, and accepted a humiliating NIT bid. The rotation was thin, forced, and stagnant.
The Tactical Shift: Total Optimization
With Johnny Davis returning as the Consensus Preseason National Player of the Year, ahead of Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, Greg Gard doesn’t just “run the same offense.” He continues to move away from the classic Swing offense the Badgers became famous for under Bo Ryan. They are tailoring the offense around Davis.
The 2022-23 Badgers are designed to maximize one superstar while empowering four elite specialists.
Chucky Hepburn (So.): In reality, Chucky was forced to be a high-volume scorer, leading to defensive fatigue and bad shots (he shot just 38% from the field). In this timeline, Chucky is a true floor general. He defends the opponent’s best guard for 35 minutes and focuses on assisting Johnny, averaging 7.1 APG. He becomes one of the best game managers in the country.
Max Klesmit (Jr.): Klesmit joins the program and is immediately free from any offensive burden. He can focus on being a three-and-D player without being a focus of the opponents’ defensive game plans.
Tyler Wahl (Sr.): Wahl, who played on a bad ankle all year, is now the secondary option. Defenses cannot double-team him on the block because Johnny Davis is on the perimeter. Wahl has his most efficient scoring season.
The Connor Essegian Variable: The arrival of sharp-shooter Connor Essegian (who averaged 11.7 PPG as a freshman in reality) is now devastating. Opponents who try to send an extra defender at Johnny are punished immediately by Essegian, who shoots a blisteringly 44% from three on wide-open looks created by the “Johnny Gravity.”
The Season Results
In the non-conference slate, Wisconsin’s overtime loss to Kansas at the Battle 4 Atlantis turns into a signature victory. Davis matches Jalen Wilson shot-for-shot, and the Badgers leave the Bahamas with the title. The narrow home loss to Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge? Erased. Wisconsin finishes non-conference play undefeated.
During the grueling Big Ten schedule, the Badgers’ mid-season slump (where they lost six of seven in January) never materializes. With Davis drawing double-teams, Steven Crowl operates with massive space in the paint, and Chucky Hepburn isn’t forced into hero-ball threes at the end of the shot clock. Tyler Wahl, who struggled with efficiency and an ankle injury in reality, benefits from Davis carrying the physical load.
Instead of a 9-11 conference record, the Badgers finish 14-6, securing a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and going toe-to-toe with Zach Edey and Purdue for the regular-season crown.
Unlock the rest of this alternate timeline below to see the three massive ripple effects that reshape the modern Badgers era... >
