Despite a stunning comeback performance against the Florida Gators, the Wisconsin Badgers fell short in the remaining seconds of final overtime in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
But all season, the Badgers men’s basketball team has shown that there is more to them, and more to life than basketball. Mike Wise of The Undefeated, calls the players, led by seniors Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig, “the most woke team in the NCAA tournament.”
The team has been active in causes that matter to them. From players driving to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation for water protection to tweeting about Black Lives Matter and even being named as a plaintiff in a lawsuit that alleges the NCAA exploits college players, this team is showing their dedication to more than just the sport.
Head Coach Gary Gard supports all of this activism too, telling The Undefeated, “Basketball is going to disappear from their life one day, and it’s going to disappear faster than they want it to. But there are other things in their life that will have more relevancy, where they can have more of an impact on people.”
Read more on the UW men’s team social activism off the court, from The Undefeated.
