Tyler Wahl shares his role in helping Connor Essegian through his struggles

Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl is an experienced leader for the Badgers. Within that role, he tends to act as a mentor for players, like Connor Essegian, who might need help getting through struggles.

After Wisconsin’s recent win over Jacksonville State, Wahl spoke about that role and finding a balance in helping a player like Essegian.

“I’d say a little bit of both,” Tyler Wahl said. “You’ve got to be there for him, but sometimes you just have to let him go or if we’re in practice and he’s figuring it out, you got to let him figure it out.”

In 30 minutes against Jacksonville State, Wahl had 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Essegian, for his part, played just four minutes, scoring three points with an assist.

“But if you see something, not only me but a lot of other guys on the team, they’re not afraid to speak up and give their two cents. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing, I think, for our team and the chemistry that we have where we’re able to communicate really well and just talk it out,” Wahl said.

“So, I’d say a little bit of both. Giving him words of encouragement is huge, especially right now, but he’ll get it going. He’ll get it going.”

A lot is expected of Connor Essegian at Wisconsin. A three-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Essegian was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season. However, he is scoring just 2.5 points per game this season compared to 11.7 points per game last season. His playing time is also down from about 27.4 minutes per game to 7.2 minutes per game.

Wisconsin’s next game is on Friday against Chicago State. It’s a game that Essegian could use to try and gain confidence ahead of Big Ten play.

Greg Gard praises Tyler Wahl after Wisconsin win vs. Jacksonville State

Following Wisconsin’s win over Jacksonville State, head coach Greg Gard praised Tyler Wahl for his performance during the game.

“[Tyler Wahl] did some good things with the switching with [Jacksonville State guard KyKy] Tandy and the ball screens and things that we had to do to keep the ball in front of us. That’s why he’s such a good player. He’s so versatile, specifically, defensively,” Gard said.

“Our commitment to throwing it inside I thought was good. I liked the fact that we shot 26 free throws. We dominated in the paint, which you need to do when you have a size advantage.”