The Wisconsin men’s basketball team had an unusual visitor in the house during its win over Ohio State at the Kohl Center on Jan. 31: California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom has been governor of California since 2019, and the Democrat is considered by many as a candidate to run in the 2028 presidential election.
So why did he fly halfway across the country to see Wisconsin play Ohio State?
Newsom’s wife, Jennifer (Siebel) Newsom, is the daughter of Ken Siebel, who was serving as honorary captain for the Badgers at the game.
Ken played for Wisconsin in the early 1960s and was the third player in Badgers history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. A 2006 UW Hall of Fame inductee, he finished with 1,084 points; was named UW team MVP in 1961, 1962 and 1963; and was ultimately selected by Baltimore in the 1963 NBA Draft.
In 1962, the unranked Badgers beat No. 1 Ohio State, 86-67, at the Wisconsin Field House, with Siebel helping to lock down future NBA Hall of Famer John Havlicek.
Ohio State wasn’t in the rankings this time around, although the Badgers put on a show in hitting the 90-point mark for the ninth time this season in a 92-82 triumph.
Badgers player Jack Janicki initially posted a picture to Instagram with Newsom, labeling it a “Random pull.”
Newsom’s upcoming memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” comes out later this month.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here’s why California Gov. Gavin Newsom was at Kohl Center for UW game
Reporting by JR Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
