National Basketball Association

FOX Sports Wisconsin Midweek Stock Report for March 9

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:55 p.m. ET

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Every Wednesday, FOX Sports Wisconsin takes a look at which athletes' stock is trending up and whose is trending down.

In other words, who is making a meteoric rise, and who is quickly plummeting.

With that in mind, let's "take stock" of the current sports scene in Wisconsin, shall we?

Greg Gard, Wisconsin head coach: Yes, no longer "Wisconsin interim head coach" Greg Gard. Never a collegiate head coach, longtime assistant Gard -- who had been with the Badgers since 2001 -- was finally named Bo Ryan's successor. Gard has led UW to an improbable turnaround, taking a team which seemed destined for an NIT appearance and putting it in line as an NCAA tournament lock, winning 11 of 12 games at one point.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks forward: Maybe we should just have a permanent space for Giannis here. Taking over the role of handling the ball has agreed well with The Greek Freak, who last week averaged 21.8 points, 8.8 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game. He also got to the line a team-high 31 times and made 29 of his attempts (93.5 percent). And this reminder: He is barely 21 years old.

Yadiel Rivera, Brewers infielder: A starting job is likely not in the cards for Rivera, but he's making an early case for a roster spot, blasting two ninth-inning home runs this past week. In five games thus far, Rivera is 4 for 11 (.364) with a 1.000 slugging percentage.

Wisconsin's women's hockey team: The Badgers rebounded from getting swept by rival Minnesota to claim the WCHA championship, beating the Gophers 1-0 in the final. Goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens has four straight shutouts and Wisconsin enters the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed.

Michael Carter-Williams, Bucks guard: Subject to trade rumors at the deadline and subsequently sent to the bench in a lineup shuffle, Carter-Williams' season came to a premature end thanks to surgery needed to repair a torn labrum on his left hip.

Ryan Braun, Brewers left fielder: Craig Counsell hasn't seem concerned about getting Braun too much playing time before the start of the season, but we won't see what kind of shape Braun -- and his back -- are in for a little bit longer.

UW-Milwaukee men's basketball team: The Panthers finished with 20 victories on the season, but needed to go far -- if not outright win -- the Horizon League tournament to have hopes of making the NCAA tournament. However, the Panthers fell to eventual tourney champ UW-Green Bay in the quarterfinals. Will 20 wins but a 10-8 conference record be enough to make the NIT? UWM is going to have to sit back and wait.

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