John Tonje Joins Celtics in Trade Deadline Shuffle, Reunites with Former AAU Teammate Baylor Scheierman
BOSTON - In the flurry of moves leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Celtics made a relatively quiet but intriguing addition, acquiring two-way player John Tonje from the Utah Jazz organization. The deal, which sent veteran forward Chris Boucher to Utah, brought Tonje to Boston after a strong run with the Salt Lake City Stars.
For Tonje, this is more than just a new chapter in his professional career - it’s also a homecoming of sorts. While he may not have deep ties in Boston yet, he does have a familiar face waiting for him: Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman.
The two go way back. Long before college accolades and G League stat lines, Tonje and Scheierman were teammates on the Omaha Sports Academy AAU squad. That team has since faded into local basketball lore, but its impact lives on - now in the form of two Nebraska natives sharing the same NBA locker room.
When Scheierman heard about the trade, he wasted no time reaching out.
“I texted him right away,” Scheierman said. “We kept in touch a little bit throughout college - not like a whole lot. But it’s cool to have someone from Nebraska, for sure.”
The reunion came full circle Friday morning at the Auerbach Center, where Tonje was introduced to the Celtics' facilities and got his first look at life in Boston green.
Back home in Omaha, the news didn’t go unnoticed.
“I had a bunch of people from back home blowing up my phone,” Scheierman added. “All my old AAU teammates.
It’s cool that he’s here with us. He’s a talented player.”
Tonje’s résumé speaks for itself. In 32 games with the Salt Lake City Stars this season, he averaged 18 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game - numbers that reflect his ability to score efficiently and contribute on both ends.
That performance followed a standout NCAA Tournament run with the Wisconsin Badgers, where he posted 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. His college career also included four seasons at Colorado State and a year at Missouri, showcasing his adaptability and growth across multiple programs.
But before all of that, he was just another high-upside kid from Nebraska, playing alongside Scheierman and showing flashes of the player he’s become.
“He can score in a variety of ways,” Scheierman said. “He’s a good defender.
I think those are the two biggest things that stood out to me back in those days. I was a completely different player and build back then, but those were the things that stuck out - his physical maturity and his ability to score.”
Now, their lockers sit across from each other at TD Garden - a full-circle moment neither of them likely saw coming when they were running drills in Omaha.
As the Celtics continue to gear up for the stretch run, Tonje will look to carve out a role in one of the league’s most competitive rotations. And while the road ahead won’t be easy, he’s got at least one familiar voice in the room - someone who knows where he came from and just how far he’s come.
“It’s a cool thing,” Scheierman said. “Just for Nebraska to have two Nebraskans on the same team.”
In a league that often feels like a whirlwind of transactions and shifting rosters, sometimes it’s the quiet stories - the unexpected reunions - that remind us why we love the game.