After two consecutive banner-raising seasons, the Wisconsin men’s basketball team will embark on the 2015-16 season Friday night against Western Illinois.

The Badgers will have to adjust to the loss of five players from their rotation last season, including National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Duje Dukan to the NBA.

But between signing five freshman and welcoming two walk-ons, the Badgers have assembled a young crew to complement the already-established juniors Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes.

Men’s basketball: Three takeaways from Wisconsin’s win over UW-River Falls

Get to know the new faces for UW:

Charlie Thomas

Hometown: Highland, Maryland

Considered a late bloomer during the recruiting process, Thomas’ figure leaves no room for that characterization. Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 253 pounds, Thomas has the physical build to make an impact right away at the college level. Out of all the freshmen, Thomas will probably get the most playing time in the season’s early going, something he looks to take advantage of.

“When you see all those guys that left, it’s just a big gap for opportunity,” Thomas said.

Khalil Iverson

Hometown: Delaware, Ohio

Along with Thomas, Iverson is the other freshman who has positioned himself for decent playing time. Iverson has a knack for contributing in all phases of the game, and thrives on getting to the rim and creating opportunities for his teammates with his exceptional passing.

“I just try to do what I can,” Iverson said. “Play defense, rebound the ball and not turn it over. All the coaches said that’s the easiest way to get onto the court, just the little things.”

If he can do that, he’ll fit right into Bo Ryan’s system.

Alex Illikainen

Hometown: Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Illikainen enters as a member of the 2015 class built on reloading the forward position. He stands at 6-foot-9 and was a top-100 recruit according to ESPN. He played his senior season at the Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, where he helped the school win the 2015 National Prep School championship.

Illlikainen said he balances his game between the inside and outside, and said he can improve in his one-on-one post game. What’s surprised him the most of his short time with the Badgers is the high level of expectations trickled down from the coaching staff.

“You gotta be perfect,” Illikainen said.

Brevin Pritzl

Hometown: De Pere, Wisconsin

Pritzl has drawn comparisons to former Badger Ben Brust for both his size combined with his long-range shooting abilities. Pritzl broke his foot on Aug. 1 and hasn’t been able to do much thus far, so it’s quite possible for Pritzl to grab a redshirt for this season and get a full, healthy offseason under his belt before contributing to the Badgers.

Andy Van Vliet

Hometown: Antwerp, Belgium

The final member of the 2015 recruiting class is Van Vliet, a 6-foot-11 forward/center from across the pond. Van Vliet’s eligibility for the 2015-16 season is currently up in the air due to NCAA eligibility issues. The Badgers are appealing the NCAA’s decision, which rendered Van Vliet ineligible for this season because he didn’t sign with UW within a year of his high school graduation.

If Van Vliet is eligible for this season, he’ll have to improve his physical stature. He’s not built enough to battle down low just yet, but a full year in the U.S. could help him bulk up so he can see some floor time in the future.

Will Decorah

Hometown: Waunakee, Wisconsin

Decorah was a student-manager for two seasons, and when Ryan approached him with the idea of walking on, Decorah jumped on the opportunity.

Decorah said it’s been an interesting transition from manager to player, but his teammates have helped him out. Regardless, he will probably see little-to-no playing time this season.

Jackson Bax

Hometown: Frankfort, Illinois

Bax walked on to the Badgers when the team held its open tryouts in October. He was the only person selected from the tryout to make the team and fill out Wisconsin’s roster for this season.

Bax is a left-handed, 5-foot-11 point guard who was first-team all-conference at Lincoln-Way East High School.