The NBA Draft is in less than a week, and former Badger John Tonje will surely hear his name called at some point. In his lone year at Wisconsin, all he did was earn First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-American on his way to a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He had one of the best seasons of all-time at Wisconsin, but how does his talent project to the NBA level?
As a likely second round pick, Tonje will already face an uphill battle to earn playing time wherever he goes. As an older rookie though, he does have the experience to be able to carve out a nice role right away. On the other hand, his age could scare some teams away who believe he's already reached his ceiling. Regardless, Tonje has one quality that every team in the NBA will covet, and it's his ticket to a nice long NBA career.
How far can John Tonje's shooting ability take him?
Tonje's elite shooting will allow him to serve as a primary bench scorer for most teams in the league. Last year at Wisconsin he shot 47% from the floor and 39% from three while shooting a blistering 91% from the free throw line. The only other player with similar clips is Duke's Kon Knueppel, a projected top-five selection. And while Tonje is lacking as a playmaker and a defender, there's always room on the roster for someone who can go out and get a bucket when needed.
His brute strength he utilized so well in college won't transfer to the NBA, where wings with length and power will have no trouble, so Tonje will live and die by his shot. Luckily for him, it followed him to the NBA, where he was the fifth-best shooter at the combine at a red, hot 72%.
In all likelihood, Tonje will play 10-12 minutes per game as a rookie and be utilized for his scoring ability. The potential for a sixth-man type role is there if he can improve on defense, but for now, his shooting is what will earn the money.