Several players with ties to Wisconsin took their respective next steps en route to their professional basketball dreams on Wednesday and Thursday.
Kon Knueppel, who graduated from high school in Milwaukee before going to Duke, led the area's players in the NBA Draft. The Charlotte Hornets selected the wing with the fourth overall pick in the first round.
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Here's what to know about the stars with Wisconsin ties.
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets (No. 4 overall)
Knueppel is already slotted in at the small forward spot for the Hornets, according to ESPN's team depth chart.
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The 6-7 forward is listed as a guard-forward and could find playing time in several roles for a team that finished with a record of 19-63 in the 2024-25 season.
Miles Bridges, the starting small forward last season, averaged the team's third-most points (20.3). He also led the group in rebounds (7.5), assists (3.9) and blocks (0.7).
Knueppel averaged 14 points, four rebounds and 2.7 assists in his lone year with the Blue Devils, shooting 40.6% from 3-point range.
Kam Jones, Indiana Pacers (No. 38 overall)
Kam Jones, a 6-4, 200-pound guard, mostly played shooting guard for the beginning of his career at Marquette, turned over to the point guard position for the Golden Eagles this season. He thrived, earning Second-Team All America status, with an average of 19.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while leading the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Tournament.
Jones was taken with the 38th overall pick to the reigning Eastern Conference champion in the Indiana Pacers, who took the Oklahoma City Thunder to Game 7 of the NBA Finals before falling to the league champions.
Tyrese Haliburton, the team's star lead guard, injured his Achilles in the NBA Finals, which could lead to a backup role in the guard ranks for Indiana.
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John Tonje, Utah Jazz (No. 53 overall)
John Tonje, a one-year guard for the Badgers, was the first Wisconsin player to be drafted since 2022.
The Badgers’ surprise star last season following a transfer from Missouri, was selected with the 23rd pick in the second round (53rd overall) by the Utah Jazz. It’s the culmination of a stunning turn of events over the last year-plus for Tonje, who was limited to just eight games at Missouri due to injury and wasn’t on NBA radars.
He was named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press, the first AP All-American selection for a Badgers player since Johnny Davis was named a consensus All-American in 2021-22.
Isaiah Collier and Collin Sexton are the two starting guards for now, according to ESPN's Jazz depth chart. Sexton was the leading scorer for team guards, averaging 18.4 points per game.
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Utah went 17-65, the worst record in the NBA. Tonje averaged career-bests in points (19.6), rebounds (5.3) and assists (1.8) in his one year with the Badgers.
Chucky Hepburn, Toronto Raptors (Undrafted)
Chucky Hepburn, who played three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring to Louisville for a stellar final season, signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, per a report from ESPN's Sham Charania. After shocking the Badgers program by opting to transfer at a moment he seemed on the verge of stepping into his best basketball in Madison, Hepburn experienced every bit of that ascent with the Cardinals — making an unlikely NBA dream a reality in just one season.
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Like Tonje, Hepburn boosted his draft stock by having a career season using his final year of eligibility at a different school. Hepburn scored at least 15 points in 17 regular-season games for the Cardinals, averaging 16.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game to lead Louisville to an NCAA Tournament bid.
Toronto went 30-52 this season, RJ Barrett scored a team-high 21.1 points per game.
Steven Crowl, Utah Jazz (Undrafted)
Former Badgers forward Steven Crowl signed anExhibit 10 deal with the Jazz. In joining the Jazz, Crowl reunites Tonje.
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An exhibit 10 contract is a training camp invite, with the opportunity to compete for a roster spot or a spot on the Jazz's G League affiliate team, the Salt Lake City Stars. It will be a heavy Badgers training camp for the Jazz, whose roster also includes former Wisconsin forward Micah Potter.
Crowl, a four-year starter for the Badgers, had a quieter senior season, averaging 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Michael McCleary and State Journal Wire Services contributed to this report.
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Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, center, and Fabricio Oberto, right, along with teammates hold up their championship trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 83-82 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Cleveland on Thursday, June 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Brent Barry
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, right, gets a hug from Brent Barry as they celebrate Finley's game-winning 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the closing seconds of the overtime period in a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley, Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan hugs Michael Finley after Finley scored the game-winning 3-point basket in the closing seconds of the overtime basketball game against Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley (4) pulls down a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter of a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley holds the game ball after the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 83-82, to win the NBA Championship, Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland.
Michael Finley, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley goes up for a show while being defended by Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa (10) and Boris Diaw (3) during the third quarter of their Western Conference Semi-final NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, May 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Paul Millsap
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley and Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap battle for a rebound during the second half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
Michael Finley, Andrei Kirilenko
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley shoots a layup while being defended by Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko during the first half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 22, 2007.
Greg Popovich, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich hugs San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, left, after Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland. The Spurs won the series against Cleveland in four games.
Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley, left, kisses his 2007 NBA Champioinship ring as teammate guard Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, looks on during a ring ceremony prior to their basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Antonio, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007.
Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, center, and Fabricio Oberto, right, along with teammates hold up their championship trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 83-82 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Cleveland on Thursday, June 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Brent Barry
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, right, gets a hug from Brent Barry as they celebrate Finley's game-winning 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the closing seconds of the overtime period in a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley, Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan hugs Michael Finley after Finley scored the game-winning 3-point basket in the closing seconds of the overtime basketball game against Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley (4) pulls down a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter of a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley holds the game ball after the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 83-82, to win the NBA Championship, Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland.
Michael Finley, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley goes up for a show while being defended by Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa (10) and Boris Diaw (3) during the third quarter of their Western Conference Semi-final NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, May 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Paul Millsap
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley and Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap battle for a rebound during the second half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
Michael Finley, Andrei Kirilenko
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley shoots a layup while being defended by Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko during the first half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 22, 2007.
Greg Popovich, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich hugs San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, left, after Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland. The Spurs won the series against Cleveland in four games.
Photos: Remembering Michael Finley's 2007 NBA championship season
With the 2025 NBA championship set to be decided Sunday in Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, it was 18 years ago that a former Badgers standout won a title.
Michael Finley, who finished his collegiate career at Wisconsin in 1995, was drafted in the first round and played from 1995-2010 in the NBA.
Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, center, and Fabricio Oberto, right, along with teammates hold up their championship trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 83-82 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Cleveland on Thursday, June 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Brent Barry
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, right, gets a hug from Brent Barry as they celebrate Finley's game-winning 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the closing seconds of the overtime period in a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley, Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan hugs Michael Finley after Finley scored the game-winning 3-point basket in the closing seconds of the overtime basketball game against Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley (4) pulls down a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter of a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley holds the game ball after the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 83-82, to win the NBA Championship, Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland.
Michael Finley, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley goes up for a show while being defended by Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa (10) and Boris Diaw (3) during the third quarter of their Western Conference Semi-final NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, May 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Paul Millsap
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley and Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap battle for a rebound during the second half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
Michael Finley, Andrei Kirilenko
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley shoots a layup while being defended by Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko during the first half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 22, 2007.
Greg Popovich, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich hugs San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, left, after Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland. The Spurs won the series against Cleveland in four games.
Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley, left, kisses his 2007 NBA Champioinship ring as teammate guard Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, looks on during a ring ceremony prior to their basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Antonio, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007.
Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, center, and Fabricio Oberto, right, along with teammates hold up their championship trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 83-82 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Cleveland on Thursday, June 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Brent Barry
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, right, gets a hug from Brent Barry as they celebrate Finley's game-winning 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the closing seconds of the overtime period in a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley, Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan hugs Michael Finley after Finley scored the game-winning 3-point basket in the closing seconds of the overtime basketball game against Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley (4) pulls down a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter of a basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.
Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley holds the game ball after the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 83-82, to win the NBA Championship, Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland.
Michael Finley, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley goes up for a show while being defended by Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa (10) and Boris Diaw (3) during the third quarter of their Western Conference Semi-final NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, May 14, 2007.
Michael Finley, Paul Millsap
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley and Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap battle for a rebound during the second half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
Michael Finley, Andrei Kirilenko
San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley shoots a layup while being defended by Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko during the first half of their Western Conference Finals NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 22, 2007.
Greg Popovich, Michael Finley
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich hugs San Antonio Spurs' Michael Finley, left, after Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals Thursday, June 14, 2007, in Cleveland. The Spurs won the series against Cleveland in four games.
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