"I feel like my time will come." D.J. Carton hoping to finally make jump to NBA with Iowa Wolves
As the Minnesota Timberwolves tipped off their final preseason game of the year against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 19, D.J. Carton grabbed a seat at the end of the bench.
Carton, a young player who had yet to play in an NBA game, knew he had gotten lucky securing one of the few seats on the bench typically reserved for players with more experience.
“I looked up at my parents like, ‘I’m not going to be here for long—I’m going to get kicked down to the floor soon,’” Carton said with a smile.
Carton spent about half a quarter in the prime-time seat, soaking up the sights and sounds of what the glorious life was like in the NBA. Dressing and briefly playing in the game was as close as the former Iowa high school basketball star has gotten to reaching his dream of playing at the ultimate level.
“I got a little taste of that,” Carton said.
It was just enough to help fuel Carton, who is hoping to experience even more during the regular season. He returns to the Iowa Wolves for his second-straight campaign with his sights set on making his NBA debut. It’s a goal that’s well within his grasp.
“I don’t think he’ll be with us all season,” said Wolves coach Ernest Scott.
Carton, a former star at Bettendorf High School, has eagerly awaited his opportunity. The former Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball played at Ohio State and Marquette but wasn’t drafted after finishing his college career. Carton has spent the last two seasons in the G League playing for the Greensboro Swarm and then the Iowa Wolves.
After putting up strong numbers in his first year with the Swarm, Carton was even better with the Wolves, averaging a career-high 16.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 24 games with Iowa as a human highlight-reel. He missed time after suffering a fractured pinky that required surgery but did more than enough to impress Scott, who was an assistant with the Wolves last season.
"He took a big step last year," Scott said.
Carton played so well that he thought he was close to getting a shot to play in the NBA. It never came. But Carton didn't sulk or pout. Instead, he went to work. Outside of a few weeks back home in Bettendorf, Carton spent a lot of time over the summer in Houston, Texas, working with a new trainer.
The hard work paid off. Scott said he's seen Carton make massive strides heading into this season on both ends of the floor. Carton is happy with the progress he's made as well, especially in his role as a facilitator. He'll get a chance to put it all on display when the Wolves open the season on Nov. 10 against the Windy City Bulls at Wells Fargo Arena.
While Carton wants to be in the NBA, he's embracing his time in the G League and being back in his home state for another season. Family members have been frequent visitors to games, cheering him on. But ultimately, the goal is to move up.
Carton briefly got a chance to experience that in the preseason. After the game, he was waived and returned to Iowa. The game still had a major impact on him. After seeing the resources NBA players have and experiencing what it's like to travel at that level, Carton said he's as eager as ever to make the jump.
"I feel like my time will come," Carton said.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: D.J. Carton making a case to play in the NBA while with Iowa Wolves
