The Wisconsin Badgers added a third player to the transfer portal this week John Tonje from the Missouri Tigers. According to Evan Flood from 247sports Tonje had every intention of playing for the New Mexico Lobos, but chose to play for the Badgers instead.
John Tonje has one year of eligibility remaining as he only played in eight games for the Missouri Tigers this season. In eight games played for the Missouri Tigers in the SEC last season, he averaged 2.6 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.1 BPG and 0.3 SPG. He would miss the rest of last season with a foot injury.
Last season at Colorado State with the Rams, he played 33 games and averaged 14.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.3 BPG and 0.8 SPG. This season, John Tonje shot 47.3% from the field and 38.5% from three-point shots. He is a very good free throw shooter, shooting 81.5% from the free throw line.
He is 5 feet 4 inches elevated and weighs 215 pounds. With John Tonje becoming the third player in the transfer portal that Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard has signed this week, it shows that the club has already found all of Tyler Wahl, AJ Storr and Chucky Hepburn’s replacements for next season.
We’ll see if the three players Wisconsin signed this week are any better than the other three they had a season ago. Kevin Lytlebeat writer for Colorado, dealing with, among others, Colorado State Rams Athletics, wrote about Tonje saying:
“I think that’s what I’ll always associate with the beginning of the ’22 season. We all knew he was talented, we knew he was growing as a player, but it was like, ‘Oh my God!’
Wisconsin Badgers fans react to John Tonje signing with the basketball program
Badgers fans have reacted to Tonje’s commitment to the program for the 2024-2025 season. Here’s what some fans wrote on Twitter:
Former Missouri State guard John Tonje, who spent a low time at New Mexico, travels to Wisconsin on his Instagram.#Badgers pic.twitter.com/le5vKE4feO
— Jake Maier (@JakeJMaier) May 2, 2024
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think Wisconsin’s transfer portal classes addressed all the significant areas of need on the roster.
On paper, Camren Hunter, Xavier Amos and John Tonje seem like good fits for this offense. #Badgers
— Dillon Graff (@DillonGraff) May 2, 2024
Completely up-to-date look ’24/’25 #Badgers Basketball as I see it:
Starters:
CamHunter
Klesmita
John Tonje
Xavier Amos
CrowBench:
Kamari McGee/Friday
John Blackwell
Ilver/Robison
Gilmore/Winter
Winter/(Portal)A vast backup from the portal would be huge, and there have already been several in talks. pic.twitter.com/hfFZhIPTxr
— Clifford Miller (@Cliffthecarguy) May 2, 2024
Everyone thought the Wisconsin Badgers wouldn’t be able to land anyone in the transfer portal because of the way people were leaving the program, and Connor Essegian also left. Head coach Greg Gard deserves credit for trying to figure out next season’s lineup. Whether that holds true for Wisconsin next season or not after landing John Tonje is another story for another day.
