Mar 20, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) shoots the ball against Montana Grizzlies guard Money Williams (0) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Wisconsin basketball's John Tonje selected by Utah Jazz during 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Cam Wilhorn | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 12:16 AM ET

University of Wisconsin men's basketball superstar John Tonje became just the second Badger since 2015 to be selected in the NBA Draft. The Utah Jazz made Tonje the 53rd overall pick Thursday.

Tonje spent only one season in Madison, but his impact on the university can't be understated. The 24-year-old scored 724 points in 37 games (19.6 points per game) – the second most points in a single season in program history behind Frank Kaminsky, whose jersey hangs in the Kohl Center rafters.

“We are so happy for John,” Wisconsin men's basketball coach Greg Gard said in a release. “He’s worked for a long time for this moment and has scratched and clawed his way to being an elite player. Utah is going to love what he brings to the organization. He’s humble, mature and selfless, along with having a relentless drive to get better everyday. He was an absolute joy to coach at Wisconsin and I’m ecstatic to watch his career unfold in the NBA.”

New threads for Tonje pic.twitter.com/PddNEKJPqB
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) June 27, 2025

The Missouri transfer and longtime Colorado State Ram set single-season Wisconsin records in free throws made (231) and free throw percentage (90.9%).

A consensus second team All-American and first team All-Big Ten selection, Tonje's age and unique playstyle likely resulted in his NBA Draft slide.

At 6-foot-5, Tonje has plenty of tools to make winning impact at the NBA level and have a lengthy professional career. Tonje shot 38.8% from three-point range on 5.9 attempts per game and is regarded as one of the top shooters in the class.

Tonje's improvement as a defender last season was startling, and it appears he's just scratching the surface on that end of the floor. If he keeps improving on defense, Tonje has the makings of a "3-and-D" wing with a strong feel for the game.

It's confusing how Tonje will fit with the Jazz considering the team hadn't exactly been trying to win last season, and the NBA Western Conference franchise doesn't appear to be anywhere close to contending for a championship.

Sure, adding an instant-impact player like Tonje will help shore up their second unit. But will Utah commit to giving a lower-upside guy like Tonje minutes over a younger, higher-ceiling player if, or probably when, the season goes haywire? I'm not sure.

On the bright side, Tonje will have a path to minutes from Day 1. His primary competition for bench minutes will be Svi Mykhailiuk, Johnny Juzang and Brice Sensabaugh – a solid batch of players, but nobody Tonje can't compete with.