Wisconsin’s recruiting has long been predicated on snagging local players from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. With the prospect of seeing their families and friends at the Kohl Center cheering them on night after night, incoming freshmen are quick to sign with the Badgers. But for D’Mitrik Trice and Aleem Ford, two freshman from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., life with their families is a world away.
The two met a little over a year ago when Trice was introduced to the IMG team as the younger brother of former Michigan State standout Travis Trice. It didn’t take long for him and Ford to become inseparable, and just a year later they wound up at the same university 1,100 miles away.
“At the beginning of the IMG season, we said we were gonna go to the same school together, just jokingly, and if it happened, it happened,” Trice said. “But the later it got on in our recruiting, it kind of just happened that we knew we wanted to play together.”
That tight friendship has helped the pair navigate a tough transition from high school ball to top-flight Division I play. Without nearby relatives to fall back on when the going gets tough, they’ve had to rely on each other more than most.
“It’s two freshmen that are going through a whole new world as far as being in college athletics, being in Madison far from home,” assistant coach Howard Moore said. “But at the same time, having that brotherhood that they've established … It’s good to have someone that’s in your corner that can appreciate what you’re going through on a daily basis.”
With the support of Ford, Trice has burst his way into the rotation for UW and carved out a significant role on a team rife with seniors. He’s averaging 17.4 minutes per game, sixth on the team, and has likely cemented himself as the team’s starting point guard in the coming seasons.
But while his closest friend is making a name for himself in Madison, Ford has spent his freshman year cheering on Trice from the sidelines. He declared a redshirt season just before the Badgers’ season opener and won’t get a chance to see the floor until next year.
Ford, a 6-foot-8 forward, is using his redshirt year as an extra offseason, taking notes from guys like Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ. Happ also spent a redshirt year as an understudy to Frank Kaminsky, and it paid off as he’s currently one of the frontrunners for Big Ten Player of the Year.
“Ethan is always talking to me, saying push yourself and things like that, and just learn from the older guys,” Ford said. “Even in the game when he comes out he talks about the little things, like walking to the end of the bench and just always being a team player.”
Ford’s hard work this year hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Badger coaching staff, and they know he can make a difference when it comes time for him to step onto the court. For now, though, it’s all about fine-tuning his body and mind.
“I think he's done a good job in the weight room of getting stronger; I know he's put on weight,” Moore said. “This year has been really useful for him in allowing him to figure this place out, get acclimated academically and socially, and then the basketball part will all but take care of itself.”
After a year of spending every waking moment together off the court, the duo is salivating at the prospect of once again finding themselves together on the hardwood.
“I definitely can’t wait,” Ford said. “Just being able to play off of him and just use him to make me a better player out there on the court is definitely something I’m looking forward to.”
Trice added, “I’m really excited for what the future has for us, whether that’s next year or the year following. I’m definitely hoping next year is the year we get out on the court at the same time. I know he's going to keep working and I’m gonna keep working, so I’m excited.”
