Young basketball players all around the nation dream of one day becoming a Division I athlete, and for junior point guard Chucky Hepburn, this dream has become a reality when he verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Sept. 9 after taking an official visit.  

“I just wanted to end my recruiting process, and just focus in on just one school and one school only,” Hepburn said. 

Along with Wisconsin, Hepburn held offers from Nebraska, Loyola-Chicago, Valparaiso, and Minnesota.  He received his first offer from Nebraska his freshman year. 

“Chucky has worked very hard to get to this point in his life and his career, and to earn these opportunities,” boys basketball head coach Doug Woodard said. 

Woodard, along with Hepburn’s AAU coach Mike Mackie from The Factory, have both played big roles in helping him with the recruiting process. 

“AlI I really tried to do was facilitate communication between Chucky and the various coaches and tried to give him any information he thought he needed to go into the decision making process,” Woodard said. 

Hepburn is ranked 28th in the nation out of all point guards in the class of 2021. Along with his athletic talent, Woodard said Hepburn gives his teammates confidence and leads fellow players. 

“He works hard in school and the best thing is his fellow students and fellow players like him,” Woodard said. “He hasn’t become full of himself or arrogant and he still sees that he has a long way to go to be the best player he can be.”

On his official visit, Hepburn toured the campus, watched practice and talked with the coaches. They studied his film and talked to him about how he’d be a good fit for Wisconsin. Hepburn said the overall culture at Wisconsin was one big reason he chose to commit there.

“The campus was the best thing I saw and after that it was just the chemistry that the team had and the culture that they are creating at Wisconsin,” Hepburn said. 

South Dakota junior and Wisconsin commit Matthew Mors had offers from eight other schools, but chose to become a Badger with Hepburn.

“Matthew Mors, the other commit, I texted him right before I committed and then he canceled his visit with Creighton and committed with me,” Hepburn said. 

Since committing to Wisconsin, Hepburn has been getting many reactions in person and on various social media platforms. 

“I’ve gotten hate, but I’ve got mostly love, but it is what it is,” Hepburn said. 

Over the years there have been multiple Division I basketball players to come through Bellevue West. Woodard said the last West basketball player he coached to play at this high of a level was Antoine Young, who attended Creighton University in 2010. Hepburn is the next basketball player to continue this streak. 

“Chucky is a wonderful young man, has a wonderful family, and it’s a privilege to coach him,” Woodard said.