Wisconsin season recap: Remembering just how special John Tonje truly was

John Tonje made quite the impact at Wisconsin in his lone season with the Badgers

John Tonje made the most of his one season with Wisconsin and now prepares for his NBA career. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 season for the Wisconsin men’s basketball program will be remembered for several incredible performances. And most of them involved John Tonje.

Tonje spent just one year in a Badger uniform, but he made the most of each and every game he played. A sixth-year transfer, Tonje scored 724 points, which places him second on the school’s single-season scoring list.

He also put together a record 37 points in the tough loss to BYU in the NCAA Tournament, which brought a close to Tonje’s career as a college athlete. He is now preparing for the NBA and NBA Draft, and likely will make a team very happy upon his arrival.

The 6-foot-5 Tonje shined in Nebraska as a prep, finishing as the state’s leading scorer his senior season. He used that to secure a spot at Colorado State, playing four seasons where he averaged just under 15 as a senior.

From Nebraska to Missouri to Wisconsin for John Tonje

Thank you Wisconsin❤️All Glory to God for this life changing experience!! pic.twitter.com/1pClfwg038

— John Tonje (@johntonje1) March 24, 2025

From there, Tonje took a medical redshirt at Missouri in 2023-24 after spending the summer helping the Cameroon National Team go 4-0 in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament. He returned to the court as a Badger, putting his name on the map with a 41-point performance vs. Arizona. 

Tonje won National Player of the Week honors three times, was the Greenbrier Tip-Off Tournament MVP, a first team all-Big Ten selection and second team All-American. 

Not bad from a kid who had zero stars and held offers from Colorado State, hometown school Nebraska Omaha and Missouri Western coming out of high school.

John Tonje and his NBA Draft prospects

Most now have Tonje as a Top 100 player on their big board for the NBA Draft. That would mean the end of the second round, but he could also be an undrafted free agent and have more control over where he goes.

Since 2011, Wisconsin has had just four players selected in the NBA Draft in Jon Leuer, Sam Dekker, Frank Kaminsky and Johnny Davis.