Not just has the University of Wisconsin men’s ball program added to its 2021 selecting class, it will add some unfamiliar flavor to its list next season.
Markus Ilver, a 6-foot-8 forward from Estonia, orally dedicated to the Badgers on Wednesday. Ilver, who plays at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio, likewise had grant offers from Nebraska, Utah, VCU and Xavier and had gotten interest from Virginia, Washington and others.
Ilver, who will sign a letter of goal in the spring, joins a UW enrolling class that incorporates three players who endorsed in November: Chucky Hepburn, a point watch from Nebraska; Chris Hodges, a forward from Illinois; and Matthew Mors, a forward from South Dakota.
While UW became more acquainted with those three players during a long cycle that included grounds and in-home visits, it was to a greater degree a speed-dating measure with Ilver because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Badgers mentor Greg Gard and his staff offered Ilver in July and stayed in contact with him all through the fall and winter. They’ve become acquainted with him over Zoom calls and Ilver submitted without venturing foot on the UW grounds.
Ilver, who will turn 19 not long from now, played at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia last season prior to moving to Western Reserve this season.
Western Reserve mentor Pete Hutchins, who was an associate mentor at George Mason and Dartmouth, depicted Ilver as solid and athletic with a decent edge shot.
“I told mentor Gard this, I revealed to Markus this, I don’t figure we might have discovered a superior fit,” Hutchins said. “He’s an amazingly unassuming, dedicated child who’s an incredible colleague that truly sees how to play. He sees each position on the floor, can play inside and outside, and will assume his job however can make large plays when vital. I think he’ll mix in well indeed and he’s about the group. With that sort of convention and culture, I believe it’s an ideal fit.”
