Badgers wing John Tonje named Big Ten Player of the Week

The Badgers guard earned the esteemed award after a strong week of performances

The Wisconsin Badgers have their first major accolade just a few weeks into the 2024 season, as wing John Tonje was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday.

Tonje, a graduate transfer from Missouri, has enjoyed a strong start to the season, averaging 22.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from three through five games.

Last week, that involved a 41-point performance against the No. 9 Arizona Wildcats, where Tonje got to the free throw line a program-high 22 times, sinking 21 of his chances in the win.

Here’s what the Big Ten wrote about Tonje winning the weekly award:

• Scored a career-high 41 points in Wisconsin’s 103-88 win over No. 9 Arizona on Friday, second most points in program history
• Broke the Wisconsin single-game record for made free throws, finishing with a 21-for-22 clip at the line
• The only player over the last 30 years to score 40 points and make 20 free throws in a game vs an AP Top 25 opponent.
• Garners his first Player of the Week award
• Last Wisconsin Player of the Week: Johnny Davis (Feb. 21, 2022)

Tonje is the second Big Ten Player of the Week this year, as Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli got the award in Week 1.

Wisconsin has been very multiple with their offensive approach to begin the year, as all five of their starters have scored at least 15 points once, but Tonje has been the leader of the charge with his 22.6 points per game thus far, having it on incredible efficiency as well.