It goes without saying, but one of the biggest storylines for the Wisconsin Badgers hoops team this season has been the emergence of John Tonje. The Missouri transfer has not only been a standout player, but he's also looking like one of the top studs in the conference.
Need further proof of that? For the second time in the young campaign, Tonje was officially named as the Big Ten Player of the Week. This came after solid showings in the Bahamas, including 33 points in the title game against Pitt.
Not only has Tonje been named Big Ten Player of the Week twice, but he was also the AP National Player of the Week after dropping 41 points against Arizona earlier in the campaign. Yup, things are going great for the youngster and he's sure got a smile on his face about it all:
Back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week! @johntonje1 talks about adapting to the national spotlight:
— Karley Marotta (@Karley_Marotta) November 27, 2024
"I am blessed to be here. I prayed to be the last guy on the bench, and now I am playing for Wisonsin." pic.twitter.com/dH96rsCea5
John Tonje remains humble despite more big-time recognition
The way Tonje handles things in such a humble fashion makes him so much easier to root for. He knows that he was given a fantastic second chance with the Badgers and he's doing everything he can to make head coach Greg Gard and his teammates proud.
He's surely been doing that. Thus far this season, Tonje is averaging 23.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Whenever Gard has needed someone to step up for him, Tonje has been there to deliver. His transfer is proving to be program changing for Wisconsin.
Thanks to Tonje leading the way, Wisconsin is currently a perfect 8-0 on the year and they've jumped up to No. 15 in the rankings. The Badgers are looking to make a ton of noise this season and they're already off to a great start. Tonje is a big reason for that, as he's been stellar with the ball in his hands.