The Badgers guard has been playing at an All-American level this season.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Wisconsin Badgers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
When it comes to the Wisconsin Badgers and their success in the 2024-25 season, many point to guard John Tonje, who has been one of the best transfers in the country this year, averaging 19.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on an efficient 48.5 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from deep.
Tonje, who averaged just 2.6 points over eight games with the Missouri Tigers last year, was a target for head coach Greg Gard in an event-filled offseason, and immediately showed out, scoring 23 points in his debut with the Badgers.
The senior had a career-high 41 points just four games into his Wisconsin career against the Arizona Wildcats in one of the more high-profile wins of the season, setting the tone for a career year.
It hasn’t been all glamour, as Tonje had a six-game stretch where he shot 20/58 (34.5 percent from the field), with Wisconsin losing three straight games during that period, before blanking on the score sheet in an 84-69 win over the USC Trojans.
But, since that last game, the guard has been one of the best players in college basketball, averaging 25.1 points per game since January 21st, which ranks second in the nation. He’s also shooting the three-ball at a high rate, averaging four makes per game over that eight-game stretch.
Currently, Tonje is third in the Big Ten in scoring, trailing only Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli and Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia, while being tied with Purdue’s Trey Kauffman-Renn.
And as his late-season surge continues, Tonje has firmly put himself in the Big Ten Player of the Year race, with Purdue point guard Braden Smith seeming like the other top contender at the moment.
Smith has put together a strong year, averaging 16.1 points and 8.8 assists, with the latter ranking second in the nation this season. Smith has also shot the ball efficiently with higher volume, hitting 44.9 percent of his shots and 38.3 percent of his threes.
Ahead of this week, Smith had been the best player on a top-three team in the conference. However, the Badgers have now surpassed Purdue in a number of metrics, including the AP Top 25, and are perceived as the best team in the Big Ten at the moment.
Could that lead to a push for Tonje to win Big Ten Player of the Year? Let us know in our weekly reacts poll above and share your thoughts in the comments below.