John Tonje Signs Two-Way Deal With Utah Jazz
Aug 26, 2025, 2:48 PM | Updated: Aug 27, 2025, 9:53 am
Utah Jazz rookie John Tonje (Credit: Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
(Credit: Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – John Tonje has officially signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, locking in his roster spot with the team.
The Jazz selected Tonje with the 53rd overall pick in June’s draft, but he remained unsigned for the two months after being chosen by the team.
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The @utahjazz fill their final two-way contract spot with rookie second-round pick John Tonje. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/bMW9893LD2
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 26, 2025
John Tonje Fills Jazz Final Two-Way Spot
After signing Tonje, the Jazz have filled their three two-way contracts ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Elijah Harkless signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Jazz in January, while Oscar Tshiebwe signed a second two-way deal to return to the franchise last week.
Two-way deals allow players to spend time between the NBA and the G League during the regular season, though they must be signed to traditional contracts if they want to appear in the postseason.
Tonje, 24, had a breakout sixth year at Wisconsin, where he averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
John Tonje in his NBA Summer League debut:
16 points (5-9, 4-7 3PT)
3 assists
3 rebounds
1 steal #Badgers pic.twitter.com/PlIg19WYer— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) July 15, 2025
The bulky wing began his career at Colorado State, where he spent four seasons, before he transferred to Missouri, and finally to Wisconsin to conclude his college eligibility.
Due to a lingering ankle injury, Tonje made only two appearances in the Vegas Summer League, offering mixed results.
In his first appearance, the rookie scored 16 points in 23 minutes while shooting 5-9 from the floor and 4-7 from three, showing off an instinct for finding space on the perimeter.
In his final appearance, Tonje struggled to find the bottom of the net, shooting just 1-9 from the floor, including 0-6 from three.
jazzman by day, petroglyph enthusiast by evening 🧐🔎#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/Ak9SZ8hL8y
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) August 7, 2025
The former Badger added six rebounds and two assists, but turned the ball over six times in 22 minutes.
Tonje has spent time in Utah during the offseason, appearing throughout the state on a tour to support the Junior Jazz youth basketball program.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
