Chicago is Marlon London’s kind of town.
“I love it. I’ve always loved it. Being here … you can’t beat it,” said London, a 6-foot-3 former Kansas University shooting guard from Broadview, Ill., who transferred to DePaul University last spring.
“Being home, being near my family, I’m a lot happier this year,” added London.
London’s old school, KU, will meet his new school, DePaul on Tuesday in an 8:05 p.m. tip at Chicago’s United Center.
London can’t play in the game. He’s sitting out the season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.
“I wish I could play. It’d be a fun experience,” said London, who averaged 3.2 points per game last season. “It’d be a battle. We’d go after each other. I’d just look at the guys and say, ‘May the best team win.”‘
London remains close to his ex-teammates. In fact, he visited Lawrence in late November and attended KU’s blowout victory over Washburn.
“They are still my guys. These are still my friends,” London said of the Jayhawks. “I hope they just play hard and it’s a good game.
“I really miss them, plus the coaching staff and all the people at KU.”
Still, he’s convinced he made the right decision to transfer.
“It was the toughest decision I’ve made so far in my life, choosing to leave Kansas for another great school,” he said. “I get to see my folks every day. I’m home and it’s a whole different feeling. Being home, there is a comfort zone.”
KU coach Roy Williams hated to see London leave after just two seasons, but said he’ll support the ex-Jayhawk forever. He let London sit courtside and watch the Jayhawks’ practice when London was in town.
At that time the Blue Demons were in Alaska for the Great Alaska Shootout.
“I’ll always do that. Once somebody signs with us, they are in our family for life,” Williams said. “Marlon left under good circumstances. The kid wanted to go closer to home. That’s all it was.
“We still have a wonderful relationship with his parents. They’ve called a couple times this year. They’ll be at the game,” KU’s coach added. “I would not be shocked if they even cheered for us, because Marlon is not playing yet.”
London admits playing time is important to him. He logged 14.7 minutes a game his soph season at KU.
“I think I’ll probably play a little more at DePaul,” London said. “It’s going to be competitive, but I played at Kansas two years and it was competitive. It’s the way it will always be.”
He said he’s having a tough time practicing every day, while not being allowed to play in games.
“It’s the worst feeling you could have, wishing you could play but have to sit there on the side and suffer the consequences of the decisions you make,” London said. “I just go out and try to keep playing hard and keep my game right so when I step back on the court my game will be better.
“I’m trying to do the little things at practice. The heart is back. I just can’t wait to get back on the court when it counts.”
He hopes KU and DePaul will meet again sometime down the line, maybe in an NCAA title game.
“If we can’t win it all, I hope they do. It’d be nice for coach Williams and all of Kansas basketball,” London said.
He remains loyal to KU. He said he won’t reveal any secrets to the DePaul coaching staff prior to the game.
“Nobody has asked me anything (about KU). The coaches played them my first year and second year. If they don’t know KU by now, what can I give them?” London said.
By the way, he had two points total in a pair of Jayhawk wins over the Demons the past two seasons. “Now I go to DePaul,” he said. “It’s a good school, another pretty campus. We just don’t have the hills like in Lawrence.”