Former Badger John Tonje was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 53rd pick in the NBA Draft last night. He'll now head out to west to try and help what was the worst team in basketball in 2024. Already age 24, Tonje is older than eight of the players on last year's roster despite being a rookie. So where will the Wisconsin star fit in with his new squad?
Will Tonje play right away for the Jazz?
The Jazz made an obvious emphasis on shooting during the draft with their selections of Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr. and Tonje. Tonje was one of the best scorers on basketball, and was extremely efficient, shooting 39% from three and 90% from the free throw line. His ability to come off the bench and get buckets will be his ticket to success in the NBA. But the Jazz, who are certainly still in the middle of a rebuild, may want to see some of their younger prospects getting minutes, leaving Tonje in an awkward position. Ultimately, Tonje is likely a prime candidate for a two-player, meaning he will split time between the Jazz, and their G-League affiliate the Salt Lake City Stars.
There's no doubt Tonje can shoot the ball, but concerns around his age and athleticism may hold him back in the league. However, the Jazz were a bottom ten team in the league in scoring last year, and if Tonje can show he can contribute on offense right away, there's a world where he becomes a valuable scoring option off the bench in year one. There would be very little reason for the Jazz to keep an elite shooter in the G-League despite his lack of defense giving their scoring woes.
As an older prospect, Tonje will have to produce for Utah rather quickly, but he had no issues acclimating to the Big Ten at Wisconsin, so he has a good chance to play well early in the NBA. It's worth noting that Jazz President Austin Ainge is a BYU alum, and certainly saw Tonje drop 37 in the NCAA tournament against his Cougars, so he has no doubts about the former Badger's ability to get the ball in the hoop.