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USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How many Big Ten basketball players were selected in the 2025 NBA Draft?
A total of 10 Big Ten basketball players were selected in the first and second rounds of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday and Thursday. Headlined by Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, the Big Ten witnessed eight of its players selected in the first round -- a new conference record. Harper, who averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes per game for the Scarlet Knights, was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 2 overall pick on Wednesday. His teammate, 6-foot-10 guard/forward Ace Bailey, went No. 5 to the Utah Jazz just minutes later. While both players were projected to land within the draft's lottery, the conference also produced six more high-profile draftees before the beginning of the second round on Thursday. Most notably, the New Orleans Pelicans traded an unprotected first-round pick from the 2026 NBA draft to the Atlanta Hawks for an opportunity to select Maryland big man Derik Queen, the 2024-25 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. New Orleans' decision to shop the pick, which could morph into a No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 overall selection, epitomizes the franchise's confidence in the 20-year-old. The Miami Heat went on to select Illinois' do-it-all combo guard Kasparas Jakučionis at No. 20, followed by Utah's selection of Fighting Illini center Will Riley at No. 21 and the Orlando Magic's pick of Michigan State guard Jase Richardson at No. 25. The Brooklyn Nets then snagged Michigan big Danny Wolf at No. 27, before the Los Angeles Clippers claimed Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser at No. 30 to round out the first round. While the second round did not produce nearly as many Big Ten talents as the first, the most notable selection of the two-day event for Badger fans arrived late in the second round. After the Thunder selected Northwestern guard Brooks Barnizer at No. 44, Badger star John Tonje heard his name called by the Jazz at No. 53. With the pick, Tonje became the first Badger drafted since Johnny Davis went No. 10 overall to the Washington Wizards in 2022, plus second since Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker were picked in the first round of the 2015 draft. Tonje projects to suit up alongside fellow Big Ten alumnus Bailey during the 2025-26 campaign in Salt Lake City. He'll need to earn his minutes on a competitive second unit. Harper, Bailey, Queen, Richardson and Wolf will likely play a considerable number of minutes for their franchises, while Jakučionis, Niederhauser, Tonje, Barnhizer and Riley will look to earn opportunities. Nonetheless, the 2025 bunch symbolizes the sheer depth in talent across a loaded 18-team conference. The 2026 draft projects to produce another 10 Big Ten representatives, including Badgers center Nolan Winter. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
WATCH: The moment the Utah Jazz selected Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje
JT is headed to UT 🏔️💜#TakeNote | #NBADraft After being selected in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft, former Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje will officially don NBA threads during the 2025-26 season. On Thursday, the Utah Jazz selected the North Omaha, Nebraska, native with the 53rd overall pick of the draft. After six years of collegiate basketball with three different programs, Tonje becomes the first Badger to be drafted since 2022, joining lottery pick and former Big Ten Player of the Year Johnny Davis. And, like his fellow 58 draftees, Tonje witnessed his dream materialize before his very eyes. On Thursday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Deputy Commissioner of the NBA Mark Tatum uttered the words every aspiring professional hooper hopes to hear: "With the 53rd pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select John Tonje from the University of Wisconsin." The AP Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten team member certainly earned his position on the Jazz. In 37 appearances in 2024-25, Tonje averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting a blistering 46.5% from the field, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line. Tonje also recorded three 30+ point performances against top-10 opponents, including a 41-tally outburst against No. 9 Arizona in November, a 32-point explosion against No. 7 Purdue in February, and another 32-point barrage vs. No. 7 Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship semifinal in March. Tonje punctuated his collegiate career with 37 points in Wisconsin's NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss against BYU. That outing gave him the program record for the most points in an NCAA Tournament game. "Just had a great year at Wisconsin," ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said on the broadcast. "John Tonje has a strong frame. He's tough, he's aggressive, [a] good shooter with a high release and a good driver. He's very good on the move, but it's his physicality, he just bullied his way to the free throw line over and over again this year. He made the most free throws of any player this last year in Division I basketball." Tonje is one of three Jazz draftees alongside Rutgers forward Ace Bailey (No. 5 overall) and Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18). He will join Johnny Juzang, Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski, Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson and Taylor Hendricks in Utah's second unit. The Jazz will look to improve off a 17-65 finish during the 2024-25 season and secure its first playoff birth since 2022. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin basketball center signs with NBA team
Former Wisconsin center Steven Crowl signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz after the conclusion of the NBA draft on Thursday, according to KSTP's Darren Wolfson. The contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum salary. It's commonly used to sign undrafted players for the NBA Summer League (July 10 to 20) and preseason. That player can then earn a spot on the team's G League affiliate. With strong play, the contract could be converted to a two-way deal with the NBA team itself. Crowl gets his NBA shot after a busy predraft process. Despite not being invited to the NBA combine or G League Elite Camp, the now-former Badger reportedly worked out for the Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets in the weeks preceding the draft. The center is making the jump to the professional ranks after a terrific five-year career with the Badgers. He started 141 of his 153 career appearances in five seasons from 2020-25, averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 52.5% from the field, 36.3% from 3 and 82% from the charity stripe. Arguably, his best season came as a senior in 2024-25. In 37 starts, Crowl averaged 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 54% from the field, a whopping 41% from 3 and 82% from the free-throw line. Notably, Crowl will join John Tonje on the Jazz summer league team. Utah selected Tonje in the second round of Thursday's NBA draft. Both Wisconsin products will look to turn heads during the upcoming summer league circuit. While the two joined the Jazz under different circumstances, both still need strong play to earn a spot on the team's roster. Most likely, that would be the NBA roster for Tonje and the G League roster for Crowl. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin star wing John Tonje selected in second round of 2025 NBA draft
The Utah Jazz selected Wisconsin basketball star John Tonje with the 53rd overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft on Thursday. The All-American wing makes the jump to the NBA level after a standout senior season at Wisconsin. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting a terrific 46.5% from the field, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line. Had the Badgers defeated BYU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Tonje was in line to capture the program's all-time single-season scoring record. The former Missouri and Colorado State transfer becomes the first Badger drafted since Johnny Davis went No. 10 overall to the Washington Wizards in 2022, plus the second since Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker were each first-round picks back in 2015. He joins a Jazz draft class that also includes Rutgers forward Ace Bailey (No. 5 overall) and Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18). Those three incoming rookies will help the Jazz improve from a 17-65 2024-25 season. The team has not made the playoffs since it did so for six straight years from 2016-22. Tonje will likely be in action during the NBA Summer League, which is scheduled to take place from July 10 to 20. Despite the now-former Badger's top-tier collegiate production, he still needs to prove his staying power at the NBA level. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Wisconsin star John Tonje falls in ESPN's final two-round NBA mock draft
With the NBA draft now just hours away, analysts and draft experts are projecting former Wisconsin star John Tonje to be selected anywhere from early to late in the second round. Of note, ESPN's Jonathan Givony's final mock draft slots the now-former Badger at No. 39 overall (No. 9 second round) to the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors would be an interesting fit for Tonje, as they have produced several high-profile scoring wings in recent memory, including OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. In addition, the franchise also helped star Kawhi Leonard have the best season of his career during his lone year in Toronto. The Raptors are a young, rebuilding franchise looking to collect pieces for the future, gearing up to return to contention for the Eastern Conference. John Tonje is looking to become the first Badger drafted since Johnny Davis in 2022, plus the second since Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker both went in 2015. A team like the Toronto Raptors, with a history of good development and a young core, could be a perfect fit for him. The first round of the draft is set for Wednesday, June 25, at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT. The second round, when Tonje is likely to be selected, will start at the same time on Thursday evening. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
