By Mallory Mattingly
Wisconsin basketball stars Nick Boyd and John Blackwell currently lead the Badgers as they begin the Big 10 Tournament tonight, and they do so with Christ at the center.
After Wisconsin ended its regular season last week with a win against Purdue, Boyd shared a heartfelt prayer on X, thanking God for a fun season.
“Dear God, thank you for every opportunity in this regular season. Thank you for great health, thank you for my teammates and staff. We’ve been through the good and bad times together and never wavered but pulled even tighter together because of YOU, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen!” Boyd prayed.
Dear God, Thank you for every opportunity in this regular season. Thank you for great health, thank you for my teammates and staff. We’ve been through the good and bad times together and never wavered but pulled even tighter together because of YOU Lord. In Jesus name, Amen! pic.twitter.com/9iYd7b4O77
— Nick Boyd (@NicholaswBoyd) March 8, 2026
When asked how Boyd has become such a consistent, standout player for Wisconsin, he gave God all the glory.
“My consistency this year has been due to the fact of just reassuring myself and constantly remembering what I can do in a game, and obviously just leaning on God more and just being confident,” he told WMTV in Madison.
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Boyd’s teammate, Blackwell, is also on fire for the Lord and continues to put his faith on full display.
Before the final game against Purdue, Blackwell was in the middle of a slump. When asked how he remains positive, he pointed to his faith in Christ.
“Just stay prayed up,” he shared in the post-game press conference after Wisconsin demolished Maryland 78-45. “I know through any situation, God’s got me. And it’s God’s timing through everything. Everything happens for a reason, so I’m just trusting Him through all this process.”
In an interview with His Huddle two years ago, Blackwell spoke about his faith and how much it sustains him throughout his life.
“My faith encourages me to live for Him on the court and give Him all the glory for the ups and even the downs,” he said. This belief has been the anchor in his life, shaping his life both on and off the court.
Blackwell has had a strong understanding of Christ since he was a child.
“Since I was young, my parents always made the word of God a priority,” he recalled. “But when I became a junior and senior in high school, I began to listen to His word on my own without my parents and walk my own journey with God.”
Now, Blackwell prays he “can touch people’s lives through basketball and faith! I want to be the ultimate athlete for Christ.”
The Badgers duo is set to take the court tonight in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament.
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