Former Iowa prep star D.J. Carton is transferring from Ohio State

After one season in college, one of the best prospects to come out of Iowa in recent history is looking for a new college home.

D.J. Carton, the five-star 2019 point guard from Bettendorf High School, announced his intent to transfer from Ohio State on Thursday via Twitter. He hadn't played a game for the Buckeyes since Jan. 26, saying in a statement at the time that he needed to step away from the game to address mental health issues.

"After some careful thought and consideration, I have decided to make a fresh start and enter the transfer portal," Carton said Thursday on Twitter.

Carton originally committed to Ohio State over an unofficial final three of the Buckeyes, Indiana and Michigan. He was also considering three other schools in his official top six: Iowa, Xavier and Marquette.

A 6-foot-2 point guard whose rare athleticism is matched by his basketball IQ, Carton averaged 10.4 points, three assists and 2.8 rebounds in 20 games played as a freshman for Ohio State. He shot 47.7% overall and 40% from 3-point range.

A former top-25 prospect and USA Basketball training camp invitee, Carton will be one of the country's most sought-after transfers this spring.

Matthew Bain covers recruiting, Iowa/Iowa State athletics and Drake basketball for the Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Network. Contact him at mbain@dmreg.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.

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