Latest news with #Tonje
USA Today
a day 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
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How former Wisconsin point guard Chucky Hepburn has fared in NBA Summer League action
Wisconsin basketball fans have a lot to monitor this summer, with several former program leaders beginning their professional careers at the NBA Summer League. The first duo to watch is John Tonje and Steven Crowl. Both players are on the Utah Jazz' summer roster, Tonje via the second round of the NBA draft and Crowl via an Exhibit 10 contract. Here is our recent look at how both players are performing. Another former Badger currently making headlines on an NBA court is Chucky Hepburn, who joined the Toronto Raptors via a two-way contract after June's draft. Unlike Crowl, who has seen limited minutes, and Tonje, who didn't suit up until Utah's loss to San Antonio on Monday, Hepburn has been at the center of the action since the summer period began. Here is a quick recap of how he has performed in each of the Raptors' three contests, all wins, thus far: Game 1 (116-72 win over Chicago): 14 minutes off the bench, two points, three rebounds, four assists, one steal, 1-of-5 shooting, 0-of-4 from 3-point range Game 2 (89-86 win over Orlando): 15 minutes off the bench, six points, four assists, two steals, 2-of-4 shooting, 2-of-4 from 3-point range Game 3 (101-97 win over Denver): 13 minutes off the bench, three points, one rebound, four assists, one steal, 1-of-6 shooting, 1-of-5 from 3-point range While the offensive numbers are limited, Hepburn has made headlines with his on-ball defense and floor-general ability. He still faces an uphill path to make the Raptors' season-opening active roster. However, his contract should guarantee his spot on the franchise's G League affiliate. While not the top of the sport, the G League would provide Hepburn a great setting to improve at the professional level and develop the necessary skills to eventually join the Raptors' big-league club. Hepburn is looking to find an NBA role after a terrific senior season leading the Louisville Cardinals. The former Badger averaged 34.8 minutes, 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 43% from the field, 33% from 3-point range and 84.4% from the free-throw line. Those tallies helped earn him a First Team All-ACC selection and the 2024-25 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Defense, passing and long-range shooting will be Hepburn's ticket to the NBA level. We'll see if he can register a signature performance before the 2025 Summer League concludes. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
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. 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. 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
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
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Utah Jazz reveal former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje's jersey number
Former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje will wear #17 for the Utah Jazz throughout the 2025-26 season. Tonje, who was drafted by the Jazz with the No. 53 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft, will be the team's first #17 in five years. Forward Ed Davis, who enjoyed a 12-year NBA career, last wore the jersey number for the franchise in 2020. Throughout his collegiate career, Tonje wore #1 with Colorado State from 2019-23, #5 with Missouri during the 2022-23 slate and #9 with Wisconsin during the 2024-25 season, the year during which the 6-foot-5 wing rose to stardom. The second-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten team member burst onto the national scene in several high-profile contests during his final year of college, including during UW's NCAA Tournament defeat at the hands of the BYU Cougars in Denver, Colorado. Tonje dropped a game-best 37 points, the most by any Badger in an NCAA Tournament game ever. Across 37 games, the Nebraska native averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game off 46.5% shooting from the field, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line. He dropped 41 points against No. 9 Arizona in November, 32 against No. 7 Purdue on the road in February and another 32 against the Michigan State Spartans in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. The former Badger will now take his talents to Salt Lake City, the same area where he will begin his NBA Summer League journey. The Jazz kick-start their summer slate with a three-day circuit at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, from July 5-7 before making the trek to Las Vegas the following week. There, Tonje will sport #17 against the Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder a week before the Jazz square off against the New Orleans Hornets (July 11), Golden State Warriors (July 13), San Antonio Spurs (July 14) and Washington Wizards (July 16) in Las Vegas. He will look to showcase his ceiling behind guards Jaden Spring, Isaiah Collier and Walter Clayton Jr. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
