Wisconsin basketball officially adds three recruits in Class of 2021

November 11, 2020
|In Badgers
|By Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin basketball has made it official with the three members of its 2021 recruiting class.

Guard Chucky Hepburn (Bellevue, Neb.), along with forwards Matthews Mors (Yankton, SD) and Chris Hodges (Schaumburg, Ill.) signed their national letters of intent Wednesday.

“We are really excited to welcome Chris, Chucky and Matthew into the Badger Family,” coach Greg Gard stated in a press release from the school. “All three of these young men identified that Wisconsin was where they wanted to be early in the process and never wavered. In fact, they formed a bond with each other as Badgers long before making it official. They will each be an excellent fit for our program, both on and off the court, and we look forward to the opportunity to work with them beginning next summer.”

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Hepburn is a 3-star recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite. He chose the Badgers over offers from Nebraska, Creighton and Minnesota. Hepburn is rated as the No. 2 player in the state of Nebraska and the 23rd-best point guard in the country.

“Chucky is a proven winner. Our staff watched as he led his Bellevue West team to a state championship last winter. A true point guard, Chucky brings everything we look for at that position,” Gard stated. “He leads by example, always giving maximum effort on both ends of the floor. He has tremendous vision and feel for the game, combined with the ability to score from all three levels. As much as he is able to carry his team on offense, what makes Chucky a great fit here at Wisconsin is that his defense and toughness is where he hangs his hat. A leader and role model in the community and a motivated student, Chucky is the kind of person we are excited to add to our Badger Family. We’re excited to get to work with him and to help him reach his potential as a Badger in the years to come.”

He averaged 17.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game as a senior on his way to being named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska.

Mors had been on the Badgers radar for a long time. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Mors is ranked as the top player in the state of South Dakota and the 25th-best power forward in the nation.

“We are very excited to add Matthew to our program. He has challenged himself as a student-athlete year in and out to become as well rounded a competitor as possible, both on and off the court,” Gard stated. “As a state champion in basketball and a successful multi-sport athlete in Yankton, Matthew has gained valuable lessons that will help him become the best leader and player possible. On the court, he plays with a certain level of toughness and physicality that fits our style of play, specifically in the Big Ten. He has a versatile skill set that will allow him to be effective in the post, off the dribble and is a terrific shooter from outside. Matthew’s skillset, combined with a championship mentally, has us excited to begin working with him. We’re excited for Matthew to join our Badger Family and we can’t wait to begin working with him to help him reach his goals as a Badger.”

The 3-star recruit chose Wisconsin over offers from Creighton, Colorado, Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska.

The 6-foot-9, 235-pound Hodges is rated as a three-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite. The site ranks him as the 26th-best power forward in the country and the fifth-ranked player in the state of Illinois.

“Chris is an excellent addition to our program and member of another strong recruiting class,” Gard stated. He impressed our staff immediately during our advanced camp and has continued to improve since. Chris has tremendous potential with his large frame and natural strength, paired with an eagerness to get better. He will immediately bring both physicality and tenacity to our program. Chris fits in well with the work ethic and culture that our program has established. He comes from a great family that has clearly taught him to value hard work and education first. We are excited to welcome both Chris and his family to the Badger Family.”

He chose the Badgers over offers from five other schools, including Rutgers and DePaul.

Wisconsin’s class ranked No. 6 in the Big Ten and No. 36 in the country.