D.J. Carton turning pro after one season at each Marquette and Ohio State
The eventful off-season continued for the Marquette men’s basketball team on Wednesday.
The school announced sophomore point guard D.J. Carton was putting his name in the NBA draft and hiring an agent, ending his college eligibility.
Carton played one season with the Golden Eagles after transferring from Ohio State. The 6-foot-2 Carton averaged a team-high 13 points per game to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Carton seemed poised to play next season for new MU coach Shaka Smart. The guard had been practicing with other returning players in recent weeks.
Smart also appeared eager for Carton to come back. Among the stops on a trip to visit players after his hiring was in Davenport, Iowa, to meet with Carton’s family.
Jennifer Carton, D.J.’s mom, told the Journal Sentinel that Smart and her son formed a quick bond. She also said D.J. was excited after getting on the court with Smart for the first time.
“After their first practice, he FaceTimed me,” Jennifer said. “”Loved it. Was very excited. Said it was so much fun and it was hard.”
MU freshman Dawson Garcia, who also averaged 13 points per game, put his name into the NBA draft earlier this month but is maintaining his college eligibility.
Neither player appears on early mock drafts by prominent analysts at ESPN or The Athletic.
“I would like to thank Marquette University, Coach Smart and my teammates for their support throughout my decision process,” Carton said in a statement.
Carton had a close relationship with former MU coach Steve Wojciechowski, who first spotted the talented guard when he was a sophomore at Bettendorf (Iowa) High School.
Carton became a highly pursued recruit in the 2019 class. The Golden Eagles were one of his six finalists, but he opted for Ohio State. Carton played in 20 games for the Buckeyes before leaving the team to focus on his mental health.
After deciding on a fresh start with a new school, Carton reconnected with Wojciechowski and committed to MU in April 2020. He received a NCAA waiver to play immediately as a sophomore.
Carton came off the bench for the first three games of the season, but started the rest of the way. The hyper-athletic guard had several highlight-reel dunks but also struggled with ball security, committing 78 turnovers.
Wojciechowski was fired on March 19 after the Golden Eagles finished 13-14. Smart was hired a week later.
The new coaching staff has dramatically reshaped the roster, bringing in seven new players for next season. With Carton’s departure, the Golden Eagles are now at the NCAA scholarship limit of 13. That total includes Garcia, but not former walk-on Tommy Gardiner, who was awarded a scholarship the past two seasons.
Contact Ben Steele at (414) 224-2676 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @BenSteeleMJS or Instagram at @bensteele_mjs
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