A former Wisconsin basketball star was able to hear his name called during the recent NBA draft and appears to have landed in a perfect spot.

John Tonje, a transfer guard who stole the hearts of Badgers fans and impressed the country last season, was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the draft. Tonje has flirted with potentially sneaking into the end of the first round of selections, but that unfortunately did not become a reality. However the Jazz, who already selected both Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr, decided that the franchise could not pass up an opportunity to select a familiar face.

The last time Tonje was met with Utah fans, the guard dropped 37-points in his final collegiate contest against BYU. In his first statement with the franchise, Tonje joked about the fans and stated that he “hoped” there would be “crossover” between the two fanbases after the Cougars fans were left more than impressed with the guard.

Tonje spent his final year of eligibility with the Wisconsin basketball program after spending previous seasons with Colorado State and Missouri.

Wisconsin Badgers Alum John Tonje's 2025 NBA Draft Stock Continues to Rise With Great Pre-Draft Showings 1 Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) goes up for a basket Saturday, March 15, 2025, in a semifinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Michigan State Spartans and the Wisconsin Badgers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 77-74.

For Tonje, the talented scorer has joined the Jazz while the franchise is in the midst of a scoring renaissance that has seen team officials retool the roster to fit an outside-centric scoring model.

Both Bailey and Clayton are crafty outside shooters who not only create shots with ease, but also tend to drain shots at a high percentage. Tonje fits the same mold after truly taking a major step forward in regards to his scoring ability this past season with the Wisconsin basketball staff.

This past season, Tonje averaged 19.6 points, 1.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Beyond the arc, the guard shot 38.8% while taking nearly six three-point shots per game in a Wisconsin offense that centered around taking deep shots and getting to the foul line. The charity stripe was also a place where Tonje excelled, with the guard shooting 90.9% from the line on the season with roughly seven attempts per game.

With the offense prowess that Tonje brings, the Utah Jazz could be the correct fit for the guard given what the team aims to accomplish on offense. The Jazz finished this past season tied 22nd in the NBA for total shooting and 21st in total offense, putting the squad in below league average territory on offense. Utah has made the future vision clear after putting a heavy emphasis on acquiring accurate and explosive players through the draft.

Wisconsin Badgers Basketball: John Blackwell Has Important Takeaway from Dropping Out of 2025 NBA Draft A - 'I Definitely Got Better' 2 Mar 14, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) and Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) celebrate after a play during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images