Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje receives NBA Draft Combine invite
John Tonje delivered one of the best individual seasons in Wisconsin men's basketball history—and now he’s headed to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
The Wisconsin men's basketball program doesn’t usually sit center stage when NBA Draft season rolls around — but every once in a while, a standout player is able to force their way into the conversation.
That’s exactly what John Tonje did. In many ways, he was the basketball program’s version of Russell Wilson — a one-year rental who showed up, took the keys, and elevated the Badgers ceiling.
After transferring in with little fanfare after stops at Colorado State and Missouri, Tonje went on to deliver one of the greatest individual seasons in Badgers history — and that production was recognized when the 6-foot-5 guard was invited to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
“Blessed to get an opportunity to chase a life long dream,” Tonje wrote on X.
And if you’ve followed this basketball program over the past year, it’s hard to argue Tonje didn’t earn it.
Tonje was a revelation. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field, 38.8% from deep, and a blistering 90.9% from the line. His 724 total points rank second all-time in a single season for Wisconsin, trailing only Frank Kaminsky’s legendary 732-point campaign during the team’s Final Four run in 2014–15.
“This was a special place for me, even though it was only one year,” Tonje said. “It changed my life. I’m forever in debt.”
Tonje’s breakout season wasn’t just about volume scoring — it was about consistent, high-level scoring production in the Big Ten that put him on the national radar.
He racked up honors like a guy who'd been in the spotlight his whole career: Consensus Second Team All-American, Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten, a Naismith Player of the Year semifinalist, and a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week. He earned plenty of national recognition, too — picking up honors like Lute Olson, Naismith, and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week multiple times — and was named MVP of the Greenbrier Tip-Off Tournament, setting the tone for what was to come.
Not bad for a guy who joined the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program with something to prove and very little preseason NBA attention from scouts.
Tonje didn’t just produce — he elevated the entire program. His 41-point outburst against Arizona turned heads nationally. His back-to-back 30-point outings against Purdue and Illinois helped solidify Wisconsin’s identity as one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country.
He also finished with a 5.6 PRPG, per Barttorvik — the highest on the team and the best points above replacement total for the Wisconsin Badgers in a decade.
And during the Badgers postseason run, Tonje put up 18, 26, and 32 points in three straight games before pouring in 37 against BYU in the Round of 32 — nearly willing Wisconsin to its first Sweet 16 appearance since the 2016-17 season under head basketball coach Greg Gard.
His final shot in the Cardinal and White didn’t fall. But that one miss doesn’t come close to telling the story of what Tonje meant to this Wisconsin Badgers team.
Tonje’s NBA combine invite puts him squarely in the mix as a potential second-round pick, with The Athletic slotting him in at No. 41 overall in its latest mock draft. At 24 years old, Tonje is older than most NBA draft prospects — but that could actually work in his favor. He’s mature, carries a professional mindset that will translate, and brings a proven work ethic.
"Coming in as a sixth year, you could be coming in with all the answers, but he's been the complete opposite," Gard said of Tonje. "He's been really good to coach, fun to be around, he asks really good questions, he doesn't have all the answers, he's very coachable, and it's refreshing."
Combine that with his high-end college production and three-level scoring ability, and you start to see why scouts view him as a compelling wing prospect who can space the floor and has scoring upside.
For the Wisconsin Badgers staff, Tonje’s story should serve as a healthy reminder — this is exactly why you dig through the transfer portal and bet on the right veterans that fit your team's identity. When it hits, it doesn’t just change your season. It elevates your program’s ceiling in the here and now and shows future talent what’s possible when they produce.
As for who’s next, junior guard John Blackwell is the other name worth tracking. He declared for the draft while maintaining his eligibility and has made it clear that if he returns to school, it’ll be to play for coach Gard at Wisconsin.
While Blackwell didn’t make the initial list of 75 NBA combine invitees, there’s still a chance he sneaks in through the G League Elite Camp. Even if Blackwell doesn’t, signs point toward a return — and if that happens, he’ll lead one of the Big Ten’s more intriguing lineups in 2025–26.
Blackwell has until June 15 to withdraw from the draft. That decision will have ripple effects for Wisconsin’s final roster moves, but one thing’s already been made clear: the Badgers reconstructed coaching staff knows how to get the most out of players willing to bet on themselves.
Tonje did just that — and now he has a real shot to turn that bet into an NBA career.
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With a dismal Brewers week done and gone, this is well-earned, happy news for Badgers fans. I will be watching his star rise and shine. Thanks for the update!