Q&A: Ex-Champlin Park star Theo John on leaving Marquette to join Duke
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Theo John is taking advantage of the transfer portal. He’s leaving Marquette and joining Duke. We caught up with the former Champlin Park high school star to hear why he made this decision and find out how hard it was to push back playing professionally.
Marquette fired coach Steve Wojciechowski, replacing him with Shaka Smart.
***CLICK THE PLAY ICON to see an extended interview with Theo John***
John is a 6-foot-9, 255-pound big man who played lots of minutes for Marquette the last four years. He averaged 8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2020. He’s a big-time presence on defense.
"I felt this was the best opportunity for me and my basketball career to join Duke and have a chance of winning a national championship. There’s a lot I can learn from Coach K and his staff," John told KSTP.
Former Champlin Park HS star Theo John talks to KSTP about his decision to go from Marquette to Duke.[Zoom/Darren Wolfson]
John will be in rare air getting to play a 5th year of college basketball. The NCAA declared that all players who participated during the weird Covid 2020-2021 season get a free year, if they want it.