Wisconsin forward Gus Yalden receives second citation from police

Wisconsin freshman forward Gus Yalden has been cited by UW-Madison police for the second time in the past two months, according to a report Tuesday. Yalden was ticketed for possession of marijuana at his residence hall on Oct. 29 and has a non-mandatory appearance at Dane County Circuit Court on Jan. 17.

The citation comes after he was already ticketed for underage drinking on Sept. 2 at the Badgers’ football season opener. He was also given a verbal warning for having a fake ID. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard announced at the beginning of this month that Yalden would take a leave of absence to address a personal family matter.

“We are in full support of Gus and will always be here for him and his family,” Gard said in his official statement released on the Badgers’ website. “Gus is part of the Wisconsin basketball family and even though he won’t be on the court with us right now, we’ll always do everything we can to help him. We look forward to his return.”

An Appleton, Wisconsin native, Gus Yalden was a four-star prospect coming out of La Lumiere High School. He ranked as the No. 115 overall prospect and No. 19 power forward in the 2023 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Yalden pleaded no contest to the underage drinking charge from September. He wrote that he would “be better moving forward” in a message to the Dane County Circuit Court. He also revealed that he chose to attend an optional class on alcohol education.

The charge was later amended to unlawful possession of alcohol on campus.

“I was wrong with the decision that I made,” Yalden wrote. “I cannot go back and change it but only change how I act moving forward and have done that. I have re-focused my attention in my life on the right things by taking an optional alcohol education module recommended by my coaches.

“I also have gotten back in touch with my faith. One mistake does not define me as a person, and I pledge to be better moving forward.”

Following his second citation on Oct. 29, Yalden was not at the Badgers practice the following day. The announcement from Gard about his leave of absence came just three days later.

For now, Wisconsin will move forward without the freshman forward for an indefinite period of time. The Badgers opened the season with a 105-76 win against Arkansas State and will next face No. 9 Tennessee at 9 p.m. ET on Friday at home.