John Tonje

Tonje is an American guard who reached the NBA as a second-round pick in 2025 after a five-year college career that spanned three programs and featured a breakout season at Wisconsin. He signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics after being drafted by the Utah Jazz.

Born on April 23, 2001, in Omaha, Nebraska, Tonje attended Omaha Central High School. As a sophomore, he averaged 1.6 points per game but improved to 13.6 points as a junior. As a senior, he averaged a Nebraska Class A state-best 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.4 assists per game. He led the Eagles to a 22-6 record and a runner-up finish at the state tournament. His 73 three-pointers and 82 percent free throw percentage were tops in Class A. He set the school's single-season scoring record and earned first-team All-State by USA Today.

Tonje received only three Division I offers from Nebraska Omaha, Missouri Western, and Colorado State. He committed to Colorado State and was a key contributor off the bench as a freshman and sophomore. As a junior, he scored a career-high 31 points against Oral Roberts and helped the Rams reach the NIT semifinals. He became a full-time starter as a senior, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.

After the season, Tonje transferred to Missouri but appeared in only eight games due to a season-ending foot injury. He was granted a medical redshirt and a sixth year of eligibility. He then transferred to Wisconsin and, in his fourth career game, scored 41 points in an upset win over ninth-ranked Arizona, breaking the Wisconsin single-game record with 21 made free throws. He was named a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection. On March 22, 2025, he set a Wisconsin program record with 37 points in his final collegiate game.

The Utah Jazz selected Tonje in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft, and he signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics.

Tonje is a score-first guard with deep shooting range, a reliable free throw stroke, and a willingness to create off the dribble. He uses his handle to navigate screens, pulls up from three-point range in transition, and has shown improvement as a playmaker. His size and scoring instincts make him a developmental prospect for teams needing backcourt depth.

Tonje enters his professional career as a two-way player with the Boston Celtics, carrying the pedigree of a first-team All-Big Ten season and a program record at Wisconsin. His trajectory from a lightly recruited prospect to a multi-stop college scorer and second-round draft pick reflects persistence and a commitment to expanding his offensive arsenal at every level.