Can Xavier Amos replace Tyler Wahl for Wisconsin?

What role will Amos play next season for the Badgers?

Dec 29, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies forward Xavier Amos (13) in action against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin basketball had a busy offseason in the transfer portal, and adding Northern Illinois transfer Xavier Amos could end up being one of their biggest moves. Tyler Wahl finally ran out of eligibility, so could Amos be his replacement?

Standing at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, Amos was a very under-recruited high school prospect before he committed to the Huskies. He didn't see much time as a true freshman, appearing in only eight games, but he broke out last year by averaging 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists on impressive 49.6/38.5/64.8 shooting splits.

He opted to enter the transfer portal after two seasons competing in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and he heard from top programs like Kansas, Texass and Virginia before ultimately settling on the Badgers.

"We are really excited to welcome Xavier Amos to the Badger family," Greg Gard said. "His size and skillset are very versatile, and we are excited about what he can do both on the offensive end and the defensive end. After meeting with Xavier and his family, we know this is a great fit for our program. Being from Chicago, he also has familiarity with Badger basketball. We feel that Xavier will blend right in with our culture and our vision."

Wahl played a major role in what Gard and his staff wanted to do over the last five seasons, and Amos possesses a similar physical profile and skillset. In his last year with the Badgers, Wahl averaged 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on 53.5/18.8/65.9 shooting splits.

The biggest difference between the two players is 3-point shooting. Last year Amos took 4.2 threes per game, while Wahl only attempted 0.4. On the other side, Wahl was much more of a facilitator with the ability to run the offense at times, while Amos is almost exclusively an off-ball player.

Ultimately, the addition of Amos will give Wisconsin the ability to run a lot of the same stuff they did with Wahl. He is the ideal four man in the Big Ten and he will be able to switch onto almost any player on the floor on the defensive end. With two seasons of eligibility remaining, he has interesting long-term potential for the Badgers.