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.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Former Wisconsin basketball star shines in NBA Summer League debut
Reporting by Mike Hall, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
