Badgers' Title Hopes May Rest in Hands of Hero Born of Necessity and Talent

LOS ANGELES — As a youngster growing up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Bronson Koenig spent so much time shooting hoops at the local YMCA that he was often teased with the same question.

"Do you have a bed in the back?"

Some days, when he realized his son wouldn't be returning home for lunch, Paul Koenig stopped by the facility with ham sandwiches and watermelon slices. When the pickup games stretched into the evenings, Paul returned with loose change so Bronson could buy snacks from the vending machine.

"It was better than shooting in my driveway," Bronson said. "The ball would always go out into the street, so my dad would have to put up cones for cars to drive around."

Koenig paused.

"Plus," he said, "at the Y, there were always people to play against, always guys that could make you better."

The work ethic Koenig displayed at an early age only enhanced as he grew older. That's why no one who's followed his career is surprised to see him where he is today: the starting point guard for a Wisconsin squad just two wins away from a second straight Final Four.

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The Badgers—the No. 1 seed in the West Region—play No. 4 seed North Carolina Thursday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"Bronson is one of the biggest reasons we're here," said senior Josh Gasser, who plays alongside Koenig in the Wisconsin backcourt. "He got thrown into the fire a little more quickly than he expected, but he didn't flinch."

Indeed, Koenig entered the season as the backup to starter Traevon Jackson, one of the heroes of last season's Final Four run. Jackson, though, injured his right foot in a Jan. 11 loss to Rutgers and hasn't played since.

Losing a third-year starter—especially a point guard—would devastate most teams, but Wisconsin didn't miss a beat. Thanks to Koenig, the Badgers may have actually gotten better.

Wisconsin is 18-1 overall since Koenig became the starter, with the only setback coming in a 59-53 loss at Maryland. He is averaging 12.0 points during that span and has gone 43-of-95 (45.3 percent) from three-point range. Even more impressive is that he's averaging just one turnover every 29.8 minutes.

All of it has resulted in Wisconsin boasting the country's top offense. According to KenPom.com, the Badgers average a national-best 124.9 points per 100 per possessions.

Clearly, Wisconsin is efficient with Koenig running the point.

Jackson is slated to return to the court against North Carolina, but Koenig has a stranglehold on the starting position for the rest of the season.

The 6'4" Koenig said he had confidence in himself when Jackson went down in January.

"At first I was like, 'OK, I can do this,'" Koenig said. "Then I started feeling pressure for a few days. It was a combination of everything. But once I stepped on the floor for my first game as a starter, I felt comfortable.

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"Overall, I think I've done pretty well."

There was a time not long ago when Koenig would've predicted he'd be on the opposite bench for Thursday's game between the Badgers and Tar Heels.

North Carolina—along with Wisconsin, Duke and Kansas—was among his heaviest suitors entering his senior season of high school. He played on the same AAU team as North Carolina junior J.P. Tokoto. And the sharpshooter said he developed such a close relationship with coach Roy Williams that, when he eventually signed with the Badgers, he didn't have the courage to tell Williams.

Williams, who finally received a phone call from Koenig three months after his commitment, obviously doesn't hold a grudge.

"I loved him as a kid and I loved him as a player," Williams said. "I wanted him badly. I pulled for him like crazy (this season) and I'll pull for him like crazy (Thursday). I just won't pull for his whole team to do well.

"But he's a big-time young man that I really enjoyed recruiting."

Like a lot of players recruited by an in-state power, the lure of staying close to home was too strong for Koenig to ignore. But the opportunity to compete in front of family members and friends wasn't the only reason he picked Wisconsin.

Koenig is part Native American, with the bloodline on his mother's side tracing back centuries. As a member of the Ho-Chunk tribe, he was educated about his heritage during his childhood and often attended pow-wows near Black River Falls.

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As he grew older, Koenig became a role model for Native Americans, who, according to an article in Sports Illustrated, have an elevated high school dropout rate and struggle with health issues such as binge drinking and diabetes.

Athletic success, especially at an elite level, is rare, the article states.

"All of a sudden," Koenig said, "I was going to pow-wows and kids were asking for my autograph and wanting to take pictures with me. On social media, people were tweeting at me and sending me nice messages on Facebook.

"It's nice to know that I have the support of a whole nation of people."

Wisconsin officials said they've received an abundance of requests from Native American groups asking for Koenig to speak. While he's granted some of them, there simply isn't enough time to get to them all.

Especially considering what lies ahead.

As much as he's embraced the pedestal that comes along with being a Wisconsin player, Koenig's focus is guiding the Badgers to an NCAA title. They came close last season before Kentucky's Aaron Harrison ruined their dreams with a three-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining. The shot proved to be the difference in a 74-73 Final Four loss.

The setback has driven Wisconsin all season and will certainly be on its mind this week in Los Angeles, where a victory Thursday would catapult it into an Elite Eight matchup with either Arizona or Xavier on Saturday.

For that to happen, Koenig will have to be at his best.

Just like he has been since January.

"There's a big difference between playing 15 minutes a game and 38 minutes game," Gasser said, "but Bronson hasn't missed a beat. Sometimes we have to remind him of how much confidence we have in him.

"I'm not sure he realizes just how good of a player he's become."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.