LAS VEGAS — In postgame media scrums, head coaches get asked about players’ performances almost every night. Usually, while they compliment the player they are asked about, they also oftentimes make sure not to gas them up too much.
So, it was a noteworthy moment when Celtics Summer League head coach Amile Jefferson absolutely lit up when he was asked about the play of 25-year-old guard John Tonje.
“He’s one of the guys I’m most proud of because he wants to make it,” Jefferson said after the Celtics’
Wednesday night win over the Sacramento Kings. “And when a guy wants to make it, and when a guy wants to be in the NBA, that’s how you look. If somebody wants to know how hard it is to be in the NBA — you can all see how good he is. He’s given himself a really good chance. He is definitely an NBA player.”
Tonje did everything he could to show that through five Summer League contests, averaging 14.8 points per game and shooting 45.2% from beyond the arc.
But more important than his offensive contributions was his defensive impact, because few questions exist surrounding Tonje’s ability to score a bucket. (The Celtics guard averaged 18.1 points per game on the Maine Celtics last year, highlighted by a 42-point outing in March).
Tonje made impactful plays on the defensive end all Summer League long, whether that was a chasedown block or a pick-pocket. In the Celtics’ overtime win, he secured the game-winning steal and go-ahead layup to solidify the victory. Multiple times throughout the tournament, he showcased flashes of defensive excellence a step above his defensive reputation.
On Saturday, after a 14-point outing against the Orlando Magic, he credited his player development coach, Nana Foulland, for putting him in positions to succeed.
“Defensively, I gotta give a special shoutout to a coach named Nana who’s actually standing right here in front of me,” Tonje said, as Foulland hovered behind the scrum. “All summer, we’ve been focused, trying to get better and working on weaknesses, and he hasn’t been afraid to tell me what I need to get better at. We just really got after it this summer, and I think it showed a little bit in summer league.”
John Tonje eyes another opportunity in the NBA
Tonje joined the Celtics on a two-way contract midseason last year. But while fellow two-way player Amari Williams signed a second two-way contract earlier this month, Tonje did not. As such, he arrived in Las Vegas a free agent in pursuit of another chance in the league.
Amile Jefferson believes Tonje did enough to show he belonged.
“Everyone wanted to see the defense from John, and I think he showed that at a super high level,” Jefferson said. “I’ve talked the entire week about how proud I am of the effort he’s given, and most of that has come defensively. Obviously, he is a high-level shot-maker at all three levels. He can get to the rim, he can shoot the mid-range, and he can catch and shoot the three and off the dribble. And so, you just want to see, for his position, can you guard the ball? Can you pressure the ball? Can you be in your shifts? Can you be where you need to be? And I think he showed that he can do that at a high level.”
Tonje may or may not end up in Boston next year. Williams is already on one of three two-way contracts, while Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries will both get the chance to compete for one while on training camp deals. Dillon Mitchell, the Celtics’ standout 40th overall pick, is also a likely candidate for a two-way contract, assuming he doesn’t get signed to an actual roster spot.
Regardless of what happens next, Tonje’s own self-belief is undeniable.
“I’m pretty confident,” he said with a smile. “I’m pretty confident — maybe even delusional. I can’t lose that. I think I’m an NBA player, and that’s what I’m striving to get to, and be at. So I like where I’m at right now, and I’m just gonna keep working.”
