Some Wisconsin legacy names among top 2028 prospects

Do this long enough, and the time will come when you'll write about kids of former players you had written about in the past. That time had come for me a while back, but it's in full earnest now. This will be the 40th year of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook -- order the 2024-25 edition<a href="https://www.wbby.com/"> here</a> and receive it by Halloween -- so players I had written about during the 1985-86 campaign are now in their late 50s. Some of those stellar players of long ago have sons now playing. Many more from the 1990s also have student-athletes now excelling at the high school level. Taking an initial look at the freshman class of 2028, several of the top players in Wisconsin fall into the legacy category. In addition, more than 100 freshmen across Wisconsin are included in <a href="https://prephoops.com/wisconsin/rankings/2028-rankings/">Prep Hoop's first Watch List for the class</a> released today. Following is a list of some legacy performers who rank among the top players in the class: [player_tooltip player_id='2509483' first='Rylin' last='Buhr'], 6-4, F, Sheboygan North Buhr proved over the summer he could definitely earn a spot on the varsity squad for a veteran and talented Sheboygan North squad. Buhr's older brother, junior [player_tooltip player_id='2391090' first='Blake' last='Buhr'], also is a standout performer for the Golden Raiders. [player_tooltip player_id='2615519' first='Trent' last='Chandonais'], 6-1, G, Stevens Point Like a lot of players on this list, [player_tooltip player_id='2615519' first='Trent' last='Chandonais'] played some varsity basketball with his school over the summer. And, also like many on this list, he more than held his own. Trent's older brother, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2316806' first='Grant' last='Chandonais'], is an all-league performer for Stevens Point. [player_tooltip player_id='2369866' first='AJ' last='Gnewuch'], 6-3, G, Edgewood Gnewuch is one of the better players in the 2028 class and could make an immediate impact for coach Kevin Schmotzer at Edgewood. His older sister, junior Zhana Gnewuch, played a key role on Edgewood's Division 3 state-championship team last year. [player_tooltip player_id='2614854' first='Tylen' last='Kingsby'], 6-5, F, Milwaukee Academy of Science Kingsby joins a loaded Milwaukee Academy of Science program so his contributions to the varsity team at the school might be somewhat limited. Then again, he might also be a key player for MAS as he certainly has plenty of talent. Uncle Tyson Kingsby played at Milwaukee Custer and UW-Whitewater while another uncle, Danya, excelled at Milwaukee Hamilton. [player_tooltip player_id='2613959' first='Kinston' last='Knueppel'], 6-5, G/F, Wisconsin Lutheran The third in line of the five Knueppel brothers, Kinston is the younger brother of Duke freshman Kon Knueppel III and Wisconsin Lutheran sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2140949' first='Kager' last='Knueppel']. Kinston's father, Kon Knueppel II, played at Wisconsin Lutheran College and was an outstanding player for the Warriors while his mother, Chari Nordgaard, was a stellar performer at UW-Green Bay. And, of course, his older brother, Kon III, won the Mr. Basketball award last year while leading Wisconsin Lutheran to a 30-0 record and the WIAA Division 2 state championship. [player_tooltip player_id='2398448' first='Joey' last='Kohnen'], 6-4, G, Slinger Kohnen is going to make a big impact for upstart Slinger, which already features a very talented Kohen in its lineup in standout sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2351190' first='Jack' last='Kohnen'], a 6-foot-6 forward who picked up a scholarship offer this week from Marquette to go along with a previous offer from Iowa State. Joey's other older brother, Cade, was a standout performer for Milwaukee Marquette's state-championship team last year and now is playing at UW-Eau Claire. [player_tooltip player_id='2405197' first='Tyler' last='Kowal'], 5-11, PG, Onalaska Kowal has an older brother, 6-foot-3 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2117026' first='Ian' last='Kowal'], who has played the past two seasons for the varsity squad at Onalaska. And his father, Craig Kowal, is the highly successful head coach at Onalaska. With three Kowals playing key roles for the Hilltoppers this winter, another run at Mississippi Valley Conference title is likely. [player_tooltip player_id='2542599' first='Will' last='Kowske'], 6-4, SF, New Berlin Eisenhower Kowske figures to be a key player over the next four years for first-year New Berlin Eisenhower coach Austin Stueck. Will's father, Andy Kowske, was a standout player at Whitefish Bay Dominican, earning second-team all-state laurels in 1997. Andy Kowske went on to play for four years at the University of Wisconsin as a 6-foot-8, 225-pound power forward. [player_tooltip player_id='2466054' first='Mace' last='Miskel'], 6-0, PG, Whitefish Bay Miskel is expected to contend for varsity minutes at Whitefish Bay. His father, Chris Miskel, was a standout 6-foot-4 left-handed shooter who averaged 10.8 points over 108 career games at Butler. Older sister, Sage, is a standout in the Blue Dukes' girls' program. [player_tooltip player_id='2304321' first='Emmett' last='Munson'], 6-3, G/F, Pius XI Catholic Munson, by all accounts, is considered a top 15 players in the 2028 class due to his athleticism, skill and versatility. His father, Matt Munson, played alongside former University of Wisconsin guard Mike Kelley on Pius XI's squad in 1995-96 that won the WISAA Class A state title. [player_tooltip player_id='2509484' first='Jaylen' last='Trotter'], 6-1, G, Homestead Trotter attends one of the state's premier boys' basketball schools so his impact at the varsity level as a freshman might not be huge. But he proved over the summer he could more than hold his own should he get minutes with the big boys. Trotter's grandfather, Kerry Trotter, was a standout high school player at Creighton Prep in Omaha and later played four years of college basketball at Marquette. [player_tooltip player_id='2503099' first='Emmett' last='Wassil'], 6-1, G, The Prairie School Wassil should make a big contribution to the varsity squad at The Prairie School in Racine this winter. His father, Allan, was named Player of the Year in the Big Nine Conference as a senior when he averaged 18.5 ppg for Racine Park in 1991-92. He went on to play for UW-Whitewater. [player_tooltip player_id='2508205' first='Weston' last='Zavatchin'], 6-5, F, Oostburg A mobile player with lots of length and the ability to play different spots on the floor, Zavatchin's older brother, junior [player_tooltip player_id='2117025' first='Jamison' last='Zavatchin'], is an all-league performer for the Flying Dutchmen. Following is a list of others who rank among the top players in the class: [player_tooltip player_id='2509457' first='Jordan' last='Evans'], 6-2, PG, Living Word Lutheran One of the elite players in the class, Evans figures to start from Day One at Living Word Lutheran. His size, skill, athleticism and physical strength are all extremely advanced. [player_tooltip player_id='2369903' first='Ryder' last='Fitzsimons'], 6-2, G, Darlington Fitzsimons played up an age group over the summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='2078835' first='Wisconsin' last='Swing'] 15U squad, and he figures to play big minutes for another very good Darlington team this winter. A physical player with skill, Fitzsimons joins junior [player_tooltip player_id='2045300' first='Broker' last='Buschor'] in a very good backcourt for the Redbirds. [player_tooltip player_id='2354009' first='Reymundo' last='Garibay'], 5-11, PG, Kenosha St. Joseph With the Lancers' losing stellar point guard Eric Kenesie (now playing at Buffalo) to graduation, coach Jose Garcia will need a new point guard. Enter Raymundo Garibay, who excelled on the club circuit this past summer with the Mac Irvin Fire program out of Chicago. [player_tooltip player_id='2442264' first='Tyler' last='Johnson'], 6-4, F, Union Grove Versatility and athleticism are big attributes for Johnson, who performed exceptionally well at some camps during the fall. [player_tooltip player_id='2550772' first='Travis' last='Martin'], 6-1, G, Racine St. Catherine's Martin lives in Kenosha, but will attend St. Catherine's and could very well factor into the varsity rotation for a team expected to contend for the Metro Classic Conference championship. Martin has good size, skill and physical strength. [player_tooltip player_id='2369883' first='Jase' last='Navis'], 6-4, G/F, Mauston One of the top prospects in the state's 2028 class, Navis is a versatile player with size and skill. He is a likely varsity starter from Day One at Mauston. [player_tooltip player_id='2618935' first='Gavin' last='Schiek'], 6-1, G, Franklin Already a varsity starter on the exceptional Franklin football team at wide received, Schiek figures to make an impact for the Sabers' hoops squad as well. [player_tooltip player_id='2504214' first='Jaquan' last='Turner'], 6-5, F, Oak Creek Maybe the most vertical player in the class, Turner looks to be a four-year varsity performer for the solid program at Oak Creek. Turner is known for his ability to fly to the basket and finish above the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2487653' first='Vinnie' last='Walker'], 5-9, PG, Pius XI Catholic Walker joins Munson and 6-foot-5 forward Frankie Simo in a loaded 2028 class at Pius XI Catholic. Walker's quickness and ball skills are advanced and figure to earn him a spot in the Popes' regular rotation in 2024-25. [player_tooltip player_id='2438156' first='Davian' last='White'], 6-0, PG, Brookfield East As usual, the city of Brookfield has plenty of talent. White leads the way at Brookfield East while Brookfield Central features [player_tooltip player_id='2570804' first='Kellan' last='Larkin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2614870' first='Efanyu' last='Nfor']. [player_tooltip player_id='2371441' first='Taylor' last='Williamson'], 5-7, PG, Milwaukee School of Languages Williamson's speed, ball-handling and passing skills figure to earn him a spot on the varsity squad for coach John Allen's squad at Milwaukee School of Languages.

Do this long enough, and the time will come when you'll write about kids of former players you had written about in the past.

That time had come for me a while back, but it's in full earnest now.

This will be the 40th year of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook -- order the 2024-25 edition here and receive it by Halloween -- so players I had written about during the 1985-86 campaign are now in their late 50s.

Some of those stellar players of long ago have sons now playing. Many more from the 1990s also have student-athletes now excelling at the high school level.

Taking an initial look at the freshman class of 2028, several of the top players in Wisconsin fall into the legacy category. In addition, more than 100 freshmen across Wisconsin are included in Prep Hoop's first Watch List for the class released today.

Following is a list of some legacy performers who rank among the top players in the class:

Rylan Buhr Rylan Buhr 6'4" | SF Sheboygan North | 2028 State WI , 6-4, F, Sheboygan North
Buhr proved over the summer he could definitely earn a spot on the varsity squad for a veteran and talented Sheboygan North squad. Buhr's older brother, junior Blake Buhr Blake Buhr 6'5" | SF Sheboygan North | 2026 State WI , also is a standout performer for the Golden Raiders.

Trent Chandonais Trent Chandonais 6'1" | CG Stevens Point | 2028 State WI , 6-1, G, Stevens Point
Like a lot of players on this list, Trent Chandonais Trent Chandonais 6'1" | CG Stevens Point | 2028 State WI played some varsity basketball with his school over the summer. And, also like many on this list, he more than held his own. Trent's older brother, senior guard Grant Chandonais Grant Chandonais 6'5" | SG/SF Stevens Point | 2025 State WI , is an all-league performer for Stevens Point.

AJ Gnewuch AJ Gnewuch 6'3" | SG/SF Edgewood | 2028 WI , 6-3, G, Edgewood
Gnewuch is one of the better players in the 2028 class and could make an immediate impact for coach Kevin Schmotzer at Edgewood. His older sister, junior Zhana Gnewuch, played a key role on Edgewood's Division 3 state-championship team last year.

Tylen Kingsby Tylen Kingsby 6'6" | SF/PF Milwaukee Academy Of Science | 2028 State WI , 6-5, F, Milwaukee Academy of Science
Kingsby joins a loaded Milwaukee Academy of Science program so his contributions to the varsity team at the school might be somewhat limited. Then again, he might also be a key player for MAS as he certainly has plenty of talent. Uncle Tyson Kingsby played at Milwaukee Custer and UW-Whitewater while another uncle, Danya, excelled at Milwaukee Hamilton.

Kinston Knueppel Kinston Knueppel 6'5" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2028 State WI , 6-5, G/F, Wisconsin Lutheran
The third in line of the five Knueppel brothers, Kinston is the younger brother of Duke freshman Kon Knueppel III and Wisconsin Lutheran sophomore Kager Knueppel Kager Knueppel 6'9" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2027 State WI . Kinston's father, Kon Knueppel II, played at Wisconsin Lutheran College and was an outstanding player for the Warriors while his mother, Chari Nordgaard, was a stellar performer at UW-Green Bay. And, of course, his older brother, Kon III, won the Mr. Basketball award last year while leading Wisconsin Lutheran to a 30-0 record and the WIAA Division 2 state championship.

Joey Kohnen Joey Kohnen 6'4" | SG/SF Slinger | 2028 State WI , 6-4, G, Slinger
Kohnen is going to make a big impact for upstart Slinger, which already features a very talented Kohen in its lineup in standout sophomore Jack Kohnen Jack Kohnen 6'6" | SF Slinger | 2027 State WI , a 6-foot-6 forward who picked up a scholarship offer this week from Marquette to go along with a previous offer from Iowa State. Joey's other older brother, Cade, was a standout performer for Milwaukee Marquette's state-championship team last year and now is playing at UW-Eau Claire.

Tyler Kowal Tyler Kowal 5'11" | PG Onalaska | 2028 State WI , 5-11, PG, Onalaska
Kowal has an older brother, 6-foot-3 junior Ian Kowal Ian Kowal 6'3" | CG/SF Onalaska | 2026 State WI , who has played the past two seasons for the varsity squad at Onalaska. And his father, Craig Kowal, is the highly successful head coach at Onalaska. With three Kowals playing key roles for the Hilltoppers this winter, another run at Mississippi Valley Conference title is likely.

Will Kowske Will Kowske 6'4" | SF/SG New Berlin Eisenhower | 2028 State WI , 6-4, SF, New Berlin Eisenhower
Kowske figures to be a key player over the next four years for first-year New Berlin Eisenhower coach Austin Stueck. Will's father, Andy Kowske, was a standout player at Whitefish Bay Dominican, earning second-team all-state laurels in 1997. Andy Kowske went on to play for four years at the University of Wisconsin as a 6-foot-8, 225-pound power forward.

Mace Miskel Mace Miskel 5'10" | PG Whitefish Bay | 2028 State WI , 6-0, PG, Whitefish Bay
Miskel is expected to contend for varsity minutes at Whitefish Bay. His father, Chris Miskel, was a standout 6-foot-4 left-handed shooter who averaged 10.8 points over 108 career games at Butler. Older sister, Sage, is a standout in the Blue Dukes' girls' program.

Emmett Munson Emmett Munson 6'3" | SF Burlington | 2028 State WI , 6-3, G/F, Pius XI Catholic
Munson, by all accounts, is considered a top 15 players in the 2028 class due to his athleticism, skill and versatility. His father, Matt Munson, played alongside former University of Wisconsin guard Mike Kelley on Pius XI's squad in 1995-96 that won the WISAA Class A state title.

Jaylen Trotter Jaylen Trotter 6'2" | CG Homestead | 2028 State WI , 6-1, G, Homestead
Trotter attends one of the state's premier boys' basketball schools so his impact at the varsity level as a freshman might not be huge. But he proved over the summer he could more than hold his own should he get minutes with the big boys. Trotter's grandfather, Kerry Trotter, was a standout high school player at Creighton Prep in Omaha and later played four years of college basketball at Marquette.

Emmett Wassil Emmett Wassil 6'3" | SF/CG The Prairie School | 2028 State WI , 6-1, G, The Prairie School
Wassil should make a big contribution to the varsity squad at The Prairie School in Racine this winter. His father, Allan, was named Player of the Year in the Big Nine Conference as a senior when he averaged 18.5 ppg for Racine Park in 1991-92. He went on to play for UW-Whitewater.

Weston Zavatchin Weston Zavatchin 6'5" | SF Oostburg | 2028 State WI , 6-5, F, Oostburg
A mobile player with lots of length and the ability to play different spots on the floor, Zavatchin's older brother, junior JJ Zavatchin JJ Zavatchin 6'3" | SF Oostburg | 2026 State WI , is an all-league performer for the Flying Dutchmen.

Following is a list of others who rank among the top players in the class:

Jordan Evans Jordan Evans 6'2" | PG Living Word Lutheran | 2028 State WI , 6-2, PG, Living Word Lutheran
One of the elite players in the class, Evans figures to start from Day One at Living Word Lutheran. His size, skill, athleticism and physical strength are all extremely advanced.

Ryder Fitzsimons Ryder Fitzsimons 6'3" | PG/CG Darlington | 2028 State WI , 6-2, G, Darlington
Fitzsimons played up an age group over the summer with the Wisconsin Swing 15U squad, and he figures to play big minutes for another very good Darlington team this winter. A physical player with skill, Fitzsimons joins junior Broker Buschor Broker Buschor 6'3" | SG Darlington | 2026 State WI in a very good backcourt for the Redbirds.

Reymundo Garibay Reymundo Garibay 5'11" | CG/PG Kenosha St. Joseph | 2028 State WI , 5-11, PG, Kenosha St. Joseph
With the Lancers' losing stellar point guard Eric Kenesie (now playing at Buffalo) to graduation, coach Jose Garcia will need a new point guard. Enter Raymundo Garibay, who excelled on the club circuit this past summer with the Mac Irvin Fire program out of Chicago.

Tyler Johnson Tyler Johnson 6'4" | SF Union Grove | 2028 WI , 6-4, F, Union Grove
Versatility and athleticism are big attributes for Johnson, who performed exceptionally well at some camps during the fall.

Travis Martin Travis Martin 6'2" | CG Kenosha Bradford | 2028 WI , 6-1, G, Racine St. Catherine's
Martin lives in Kenosha, but will attend St. Catherine's and could very well factor into the varsity rotation for a team expected to contend for the Metro Classic Conference championship. Martin has good size, skill and physical strength.

Jase Navis Jase Navis 6'5" | SF/PF Mauston | 2028 State WI , 6-4, G/F, Mauston
One of the top prospects in the state's 2028 class, Navis is a versatile player with size and skill. He is a likely varsity starter from Day One at Mauston.

Gavin Schiek Gavin Schiek 6'1" | CG Franklin | 2028 State WI , 6-1, G, Franklin
Already a varsity starter on the exceptional Franklin football team at wide received, Schiek figures to make an impact for the Sabers' hoops squad as well.

Ja’Quan Turner Ja’Quan Turner 6'4" | SF/SG Oak Creek | 2028 State WI , 6-5, F, Oak Creek
Maybe the most vertical player in the class, Turner looks to be a four-year varsity performer for the solid program at Oak Creek. Turner is known for his ability to fly to the basket and finish above the rim.

Vinnie Walker Vinnie Walker 5'9" | CG Brookfield Central | 2028 WI , 5-9, PG, Pius XI Catholic
Walker joins Munson and 6-foot-5 forward Frankie Simo in a loaded 2028 class at Pius XI Catholic. Walker's quickness and ball skills are advanced and figure to earn him a spot in the Popes' regular rotation in 2024-25.

Davian White Davian White 6'0" | PG Brookfield East | 2028 State WI , 6-0, PG, Brookfield East
As usual, the city of Brookfield has plenty of talent. White leads the way at Brookfield East while Brookfield Central features Kellan Larkin Kellan Larkin 6'2" | CG/SF Brookfield Central | 2028 State WI and Afanyu Nfor Afanyu Nfor 6'6" | SF Brookfield Central | 2028 State WI .

Taylor Williamson Taylor Williamson 5'7" | PG Milwaukee School Of Languages | 2028 State WI , 5-7, PG, Milwaukee School of Languages
Williamson's speed, ball-handling and passing skills figure to earn him a spot on the varsity squad for coach John Allen's squad at Milwaukee School of Languages.