Latest news with #JohnTonje
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How Wisconsin star John Tonje performed in Utah Jazz's latest NBA Summer League game
Former Wisconsin basketball star wing John Tonje was back on an NBA Summer League court on Friday night. After missing the Utah Jazz's contest against Washington on Wednesday with a right ankle sprain, Tonje returned to the starting lineup for Friday's contest against the Chicago Bulls. The All-American wing had a quiet night offensively, as the Jazz fell 105-92, dropping to 1-4 in Summer League action. In 22 minutes of action, Tonje tallied just four points, six rebounds and two assists on 1-of-9 shooting from the field and 0-of-6 from 3-point range. He also turned the ball over six times. The performance is a step back from his stellar Summer League debut last week. In a narrow overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the second-round draft pick notched 16 points, three rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes of action. That performance included an efficient 5-of-9 shooting clip from the field and 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Tonje's spot on the Jazz's active roster should be safe entering the 2025-26 season, regardless of his Summer League and preseason play. Utah was the worst team in the NBA last season, finishing with a 17-65 record. It hopes an incoming draft class of Tonje, Rutgers star Ace Bailey, Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. and St. John's guard R.J. Luis Jr. can help retool its roster and redirect the franchise's trajectory. Eyes are on the future in Utah. Tonje should get an extended chance to etch his name into those plans. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Wisconsin basketball star shines in NBA Summer League debut
Former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje shined for the Utah Jazz in his NBA Summer League debut on Monday. In Utah's exhibition against the San Antonio Spurs, the Nebraska native accounted for 16 points, three rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes of action. He did so off an efficient 5-of-9 clip from the field and 4-of-7 mark from 3-point range, something Badger fans grew accustomed to during his collegiate tenure in Madison. Advertisement As a starter alongside Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier, Cody Williams and Elijah Harkless, Tonje's first bucket arrived with roughly nine minutes to spare in the opening frame. Collier, who played college basketball at USC during the 2023-24 season, rifled a pass to the former Badger in the left corner. Tonje, who nearly set the single-season scoring mark for UW a season ago, drilled his first shot attempt. Arguably, his most critical bucket arrived with 36 ticks remaining in the fourth quarter. Down 82-80, Tonje found himself open on the left wing off an off-ball screen. Collier, who tallied 12 assists in the contest, found him for a wide-open look from deep. The attempt lifted Utah to an 83-82 edge before former Rutgers star Dylan Harper sent the game into overtime. The Spurs would ultimately secure a 93-91 triumph in the extra period courtesy of a game-winning look from Riley Minix. Nonetheless, Tonje made his presence felt throughout the bulk of his time on the hardwood. Prior to Monday, Utah did play several summer league contests in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, games that Tonje missed with a right ankle ailment. His former Badger and current Jazz teammate, Steven Crowl, did not play on Monday. Advertisement The 6-foot-5 wing arrived in Utah after being selected with the 53rd overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft. His stellar 19.6-point, 5.3-rebound, 1.8-assist per game output at Wisconsin in 2024-25 lifted him into professional conversations. He witnessed his NBA dreams morph into a reality on June 26. The Jazz will continue their summer league slate with a test against the Washington Wizards at 10:00 p.m. ET on June 16. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball John Tonje NBA Summer League debut stats
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What former Wisconsin star John Tonje said in his introductory press conference with Jazz
Former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje met with the media for the first time as a member of the Utah Jazz on Sunday. Just a few days after hearing his name called on day two of the 2025 NBA draft, Tonje ventured to Salt Lake City, Utah, for his first meeting with local media members. He, alongside lottery pick and former Rutgers star Ace Bailey and NCAA champion Walter Clayton Jr., shared their initial thoughts on Utah and the opportunity to compete on a professional stage. Advertisement Prior to the draft, several outlets projected Tonje to fall in the mid-40's. The Jazz elected to select the Nebraska native at No. 53 overall, a slight slip for the 6-foot-5 scoring machine. Nonetheless, Tonje appeared optimistic. 'That was a little bit outside my range," Tonje told the media. "At the end of the day, I'm super excited to be here and just so happy I'm here with the Jazz.' Unlike Bailey, a consensus lottery pick before he even reached Rutgers, Tonje's journey to reach the NBA was a bit unorthodox. As a high schooler, Tonje received just three offers from Omaha, Colorado State and Missouri Western State. As a freshman with the Rams, he averaged 3.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game as a reserve. Advertisement The future NBA draftee would spend four years with Colorado State and eventually started all 33 games as a senior with per-game averages of 14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. A summer with the Cameroon National Team in during the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in 2023, coupled with a 2023-24 medical redshirt season, positioned him for an explosive final year as a college player. With the Badgers, Tonje was named a 2025 Second Team All-American, 2025 Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist and member of the 2025 All-Big Ten first team. He averaged just under 20 points per game off 46.5% shooting from the field, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line, punctuating his season with a 37-point performance against BYU in the NCAA Tournament. Not coincidentally, Tonje's growth from an athlete with a minimal recruiting profile to college star prompted him to reflect on his basketball adventure. 'I think I had a lot of adversity," Tonje said. "Had to work my way up. I've been the last guy on the bench and then the guy at the top of the scouting report, so I think I'm someone that can understand all types of roles on the team, how to face adversity and try to get better every day.' Advertisement He will now look to showcase his dexterity on the hardwood when the Jazz begin their summer league run in Salt Lake City on July 5. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje Jazz press conference comments
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What former Wisconsin star John Tonje said in his introductory press conference with Jazz
Former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje met with the media for the first time as a member of the Utah Jazz on Sunday. Just a few days after hearing his name called on day two of the 2025 NBA draft, Tonje ventured to Salt Lake City, Utah, for his first meeting with local media members. He, alongside lottery pick and former Rutgers star Ace Bailey and NCAA champion Walter Clayton Jr., shared their initial thoughts on Utah and the opportunity to compete on a professional stage. Prior to the draft, several outlets projected Tonje to fall in the mid-40's. The Jazz elected to select the Nebraska native at No. 53 overall, a slight slip for the 6-foot-5 scoring machine. Nonetheless, Tonje appeared optimistic. 'That was a little bit outside my range," Tonje told the media. "At the end of the day, I'm super excited to be here and just so happy I'm here with the Jazz.' Unlike Bailey, a consensus lottery pick before he even reached Rutgers, Tonje's journey to reach the NBA was a bit unorthodox. As a high schooler, Tonje received just three offers from Omaha, Colorado State and Missouri Western State. As a freshman with the Rams, he averaged 3.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game as a reserve. The future NBA draftee would spend four years with Colorado State and eventually started all 33 games as a senior with per-game averages of 14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. A summer with the Cameroon National Team in during the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in 2023, coupled with a 2023-24 medical redshirt season, positioned him for an explosive final year as a college player. With the Badgers, Tonje was named a 2025 Second Team All-American, 2025 Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist and member of the 2025 All-Big Ten first team. He averaged just under 20 points per game off 46.5% shooting from the field, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line, punctuating his season with a 37-point performance against BYU in the NCAA Tournament. Not coincidentally, Tonje's growth from an athlete with a minimal recruiting profile to college star prompted him to reflect on his basketball adventure. 'I think I had a lot of adversity," Tonje said. "Had to work my way up. I've been the last guy on the bench and then the guy at the top of the scouting report, so I think I'm someone that can understand all types of roles on the team, how to face adversity and try to get better every day.' He will now look to showcase his dexterity on the hardwood when the Jazz begin their summer league run in Salt Lake City on July 5. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey says he's 'blessed' to be with the Jazz after he fell to them at No. 5 in the NBA draft
Utah Jazz drafted players, left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr. and John Tonje pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz drafted players, left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., John Tonje, team owner Ryan Smith, and Austin Ainge, President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz, pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz drafted players,left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., John Tonje and Austin Ainge, President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz, pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz first round fifth overall draft pick Ace Bailey poses during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz first round fifth overall draft pick Ace Bailey speaks to the press during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz first round fifth overall draft pick Ace Bailey speaks to the press during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz drafted players, left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr. and John Tonje pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz drafted players, left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., John Tonje, team owner Ryan Smith, and Austin Ainge, President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz, pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz drafted players,left to right, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., John Tonje and Austin Ainge, President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz, pose during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz first round fifth overall draft pick Ace Bailey poses during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) Utah Jazz first round fifth overall draft pick Ace Bailey speaks to the press during the Utah Jazz player introduction press conference, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah was not believed to be one of Ace Bailey's preferred destinations to start his NBA career. Still, Bailey indicated Sunday that he never thought about holding out or forcing a trade after the Jazz drafted him No. 5 overall. Bailey reported to Utah after he was criticized for his approach to the pre-draft process, during which he refused to work out for teams interested in him. When asked during his introductory news conference if he considered not coming to Salt Lake City, he only expressed enthusiasm for being with the Jazz. Advertisement 'Just blessed to be in the position I am,' Bailey said. Before the draft, Bailey canceled a scheduled workout with Philadelphia and declined invitations from Charlotte and Utah to work out for them. That didn't stop the Jazz from using their lottery pick on him anyway. Utah is betting the 18-year-old will unlock his potential and blossom into a prolific scorer. Joining Bailey in Utah are No. 18 pick Walter Clayton Jr. and No. 53 pick John Tonje, two other high-level scorers. 'This is a dream scenario for us,' Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said. 'These are guys we targeted before the draft with high potential and high character, and we couldn't be more excited.' Advertisement Ainge believes all three rookies are multi-dimensional players who can make an impact on defense. 'These guys can play on both ends,' Ainge said. 'We're looking for the best combination of all the skills we can. But, yeah, these guys can put the ball in the hole.' Mock drafts had Bailey as a consensus top-three pick before he slid to the Jazz. The 6-foot-8 forward has a versatile offensive game. At Rutgers, Bailey showed he can shoot off the dribble, knock down step-back jumpers and attack the paint. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his lone season with the Scarlet Knights. Bailey complemented his inside game by stretching defenses with his range, shooting 34.6% from beyond the arc. Advertisement 'I got great energy,' Bailey said. 'I can do everything from rebounding to defense to scoring to passing. So I can say I can bring it a lot in different ways.' Still, concerns about his scoring efficiency, ballhandling, passing, defensive intensity and maturity contributed to Bailey falling out of the top three. He's eager to prove the Jazz made the right choice. 'I trust my work,' Bailey said. 'I (put in) countless hours in the gym with everything that I do. So I trust it. Everybody makes mistakes. God didn't put us here to be perfect. So I just trust myself and just trust my process.' ___ AP NBA:
