Michigan Basketball: Breaking down another transfer portal target contacted

Michigan basketball has reached out to another transfer portal target in John Tonje and we break down his potential fit with the Wolverines. 

Now that we know that Jett Howard isn’t coming back to Michigan basketball next season, it brings a little more clarity to the roster situation.

There are still a lot of question marks. What will Hunter Dickinson and Kobe Bufkin do? Will they leave for the NBA draft?

Those are the two big questions facing Michigan basketball in the offseason and it’s not going to be easy to construct a roster until the Wolverines get answers to those questions.

The scholarship chart still has some questions. We know Isaiah Barnes is leaving too, which means we know there will be two exits and two additions with George Washington III and Papa Kante coming in as part of the 2023 recruiting class.

Joey Baker is applying for another season after playing just four games for Duke as a freshman. Jaelin Llewellyn could also apply for an injury waiver for last season if he chooses.

So it’s one thing to talk about adding a player from the transfer portal but you need to have openings to do so. One player that Michigan basketball has reached out to is former Colorado State guard John Tonje.

How Tonje would fit with Michigan basketball

Tonje is listed as a point guard but he’s 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and shot 38.9 percent from 3-point range last season. Over four years, he’s been a 37 percent 3-point shooter. Last season, he averaged 14.6 points and 1.3 assists for the Rams so it seems like he could be more of a combo guard alongside Dug McDaniel. He would be a nice addition as part of a three-guard backcourt.

The Wolverines have contacted Tonje according to Joe Tipton of On3.com but they are far from the only program that has done so.

Tonje is from Omaha, Nebraska, and landing a commitment from him won’t be easy with all the interest. Nebraska would make sense and the Huskers have a better idea of what they need.

Right now, Michigan basketball doesn’t really have a place for Tonje, at least not in the starting lineup. If he was willing to accept a possible role off the bench, depending on what Kobe Bufkin does, then Michigan could have a shot.

It’s interesting though and if say Kobe Bufkin declared for the draft, maybe the pursuit of Tonje woud pick up, although the (scholarship) numbers issue should work out and if he would accept a potential role off the bench, U-M should make a strong push.