After weeks of speculation, the NBA Draft is finally here, and Badger fans will soon know where former star John Tonje will end up. While he is unlikely to be drafted tonight in round one, anything is possible. In ESPN's final mock draft, Tonje nears the first round, going at pick 39 to a very peculiar destination.
ESPN has the former Badger landing with Toronto at pick 39 in their final mock draft of the year. While 39 is definitely in the range for Tonje, the Raptors feel like an odd fit.
Does Tonje to Toronto make sense?
While Tonje could probably carve out a role on any roster, his best fit will be a team needing shooting off the bench. The Raptors, however, are plenty deep in that department with players like Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett who could all quickly light up the scoreboard. What Toronto needs is defense, both inside and out, and a good ball distributor, things that aren't exactly Tonje's wheelhouse.
Tonje thrived in a high-usage role at Wisconsin. With most of those opportunities eaten up in Toronto, he'd have to find a way to provide value off the bench in minimal minutes. While scoring won't be an issue, he'll have to take better care of the ball than he did at Wisconsin where he posted a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, and greatly improve his perimeter defense for this marriage to work. It's not out of the question, but Toronto isn't the best match for his current skillset.
It's a strange placement for sure, but in the second round, it's a whole lot of luck. After averaging almost 20 points per game on 39% three-point shooting, Tonje very well could be the best scorer in the second round, something most teams wouldn't balk at if he were to fall past pick 40 or so. Ultimately, Tonje's defense and playmaking skills will determine his ceiling.