When Wquinton Smith joined the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team in November following an open tryout, there was no guarantee he would be a Badger beyond this season.

But no matter what the future might hold for Smith when it comes to basketball at UW — that won't be decided until after this season concludes — he's already been guaranteed to take away a Big Ten Conference championship ring and assorted life-long memories from his foray into major college basketball.

All in all, not a bad last few months for someone who thought his organized basketball playing days were over when Milwaukee King's season ended at last year's WIAA state basketball tournament at the Kohl Center.

"It's been a real pleasure," Smith said last week. "I was a part of a Big Ten championship. It's been a great experience being a part of a great program with good teammates and good coaches. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. ... So far, it's been the ultimate experience."

The 5-foot-11 freshman was chosen to be the 16th Badger from a field of nearly 40 that showed up for the tryout up following an e-mail sent out by the basketball program. Smith the student quickly transformed into Smith the student-athlete.

"There's not too many walk-ons across the country that can come in (and) be part of (a championship team)," UW assistant coach Greg Gard said.

"To be somebody who one day was just the average joe walking across campus to the next day getting an e-mail about tryouts to a week later being in tryouts and then being in a selection process and being in front of (UW coach Bo Ryan) — it all happened so fast for him. But he's handled everything in a very mature way."

Smith said he was immediately embraced by his new teammates and coaches. He, in turn, did the same to them.

"He's blended in really well," UW assistant coach Howard Moore said. "He came in a little bit later than the rest of the guys, but he's done a tremendous job of blending into the culture, blending into the team, being a good teammate, doing everything that (Ryan) has asked him to do on the scout team, and what we demand our guys to do on a daily basis."

Smith's contributions have come as a member of the Badgers' scout team, where he's teamed with senior Tanner Bronson as one of the lead guards going up against UW's regular rotation.

"The nice thing that I've noticed is, he's improved. He's gotten better as the year has gone on," Gard said of Smith.

"He's really done a great job of grasping what we want and how we go about our day-to-day business, especially in game preparation. He picks up things very fast. We wanted a guard (for the scout team) that could be able to attack, and make plays and really challenge our perimeter guys, and he's done that."

Smith's also done something he thought wasn't possible after his high school career came to a close — play on the Kohl Center court again.

He's appeared in two games and played 2 minutes this season. He logged 1 minute in a victory over Florida A&M on Nov. 16 at the Kohl Center, and he was on the court for the final minute of UW's Big Ten title-clinching victory over Penn State on March 5 at the Kohl Center.

"The (Florida A&M game) I had a turnover, so in the second game I was trying not to get another turnover," Smith said of his most recent on-court appearance. "I was just elated because the fans were cheering. ... The energy was just crazy."

Smith didn't travel to the Big Ten tournament last weekend, and won't accompany the Badgers to Omaha, Neb., for this week's NCAA tournament — by rule, UW is only allowed to have 15 players travel — but he can still proudly say he's part of the team.

"I think he's gained from it, and I think our players have gained and our program gained from having him involved in it," Ryan said. "He's happy to be there, but (he's) not resting on. ... 'Hey, I'm part of the team.'

"He's every bit as important on this team as any other (player). ... He's right there with them."