To Redshirt or Not to Redshirt

6 foot 11 freshman center J.P. Gavinski faces a decision whether or not to redshirt this season.

Under NCAA rules, if a player plays in any game other than the two exhibitions, he will be deemed to have used his eligibility for the season. One only has to think back two years when current junior center Greg Stiemsma decided to not redshirt but barely played, thus wasting a year of eligibility.

With UW returning starting center Jason Chappell, starting power forward Brian Butch as well as junior center Greg Stiemsma and sophomore forwards Marcus Landry, Kevin Gullikson and Joe Krabbenhoft, I think the decision would be easy to make. There simply isn't going to be any playing time for Gavinski. There is only 80 minutes of playing time per game available between the power forward and center positions and there are already 6 players ahead of Gavinski for playing time at those positions.


Gavinski should spend the year getting stronger and getting better working against the Badgers' big men in practice. However, Gavinski will have to swallow his pride and admit he is not ready to play this year, which is tough to do for any top recruit.

Update from the WSJ on 11/10/06: J.P. Gavinski maintained that playing time was going to be the determining factor in his decision to redshirt for the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team. And with little in sight, the freshman forward/ center said Thursday he would sit out the Badgers' upcoming season and begin his four seasons of eligibility beginning in 2007-08.