The Badgers guard was named as one of the most valuable players in the entire country.
Wisconsin Badgers senior guard John Tonje was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association 2024-25 Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List on Monday as one of the top 50 Division I players in the country.
The Midseason Watch List includes a list of 50 players that the association’s board recognizes as contenders for National Player of the Year. The award will be announced during the NCAA Men’s Final Four from April 5-7, with a final watch list and ballot released earlier.
Tonje, a revelation from the transfer portal for the Badgers this season, has averaged 18.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three, and 92.5 percent from the line.
Fitting perfectly into Wisconsin’s offensive system, Tonje has been among the country’s leaders in free throws this season, while finding ways to adjust in conference play as teams look to shut him down.
After a scoreless outing in Wisconsin’s 84-69 win over the USC Trojans, Tonje has been on a tear over the last four games, scoring at least 20 points and making five threes in each of the outings.
When Tonje is scoring at his best, the Badgers have been very hard to beat this year. In fact, Wisconsin is 4-0 when the senior wing scores at least 25 points this season, with two of those games coming in the past two weeks.
Tonje was a major evaluation success for the Badgers, who banked on his upside after the guard played in just nine games at Missouri last season.
That has proven to be huge for Wisconsin, who has seen themselves be weekly players in the AP Top 25, while also ranking in the top third of the new-look Big Ten.
Tonje has cemented himself as one of the country’s best players this season, And he’s been seen on a national scale, hence his nomination to the Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watchlist.