D. J. Carton is an American basketball player currently playing for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Marquette Golden Eagles. Carton was named the NBA G League’s third-most valuable player in 2014. He also won the NBA championship as a rookie in 2010.
A high school basketball star, D.J. Carton also struggled with mental health problems, especially as he got drafted out of high school. Aside from being recruited heavily out of high school, he hated attention from the media. When he arrived at Ohio State, he developed an eating disorder and lost 25 pounds. Some of Carton’s friends and family worried about his mental state. This prompted the school to offer him a scholarship.
Carton’s time at Ohio State wasn’t wasted, as he committed to the team just before the start of the season. Then, in April 2020, he committed to MU. Carton received an NCAA waiver to play immediately as a sophomore. However, he struggled with ball security and ended up committing 78 turnovers. After his freshman season, Wojciechowski fired him as head coach, and Smart hired him to coach the team.
Ohio State coach Chris Holtman supported Carton in the aftermath of his tragic incident, offering him support and resources. Despite the setback, Ohio State fans overwhelmingly supported the star player. Carton’s departure from Ohio State has led to speculation about whether he would return to the university. It’s likely that he’ll be a one-and-done prospect in the NBA. But it’s not too late to give up on his dream.