After an arduous rehabilitation following an ACL tear in one of the last pre-season practices of the 2012-13 basketball season, DePaul forward DeJuan Marrero is raring to go.

The 6’5″, 215-pound Marrero was predicted to make a dramatic impact last year, being ranked the No. 13 player of the Class of 2012 to come out of the state of Indiana and the No. 49 player at the small forward position by ESPN. Marrero’s right knee injury forced him to redshirt his entire freshman season.

Knowing his credentials would have been a great asset for last year’s Blue Demon team was the worst part for the athlete.

“It was tough. I came in with a lot of expectation last year, knowing what I could bring to the team,” Marrero said.

Marrero maintained a positive mindset throughout his injury and rehabilitation process, while watching helplessly as his team struggled through the season.

“I couldn’t even bend my leg for two or three days, which was tough” Marrero said. “It was all mental, and just being able to know that I would eventually be good helped me thru the process of rehab.”

Marrero says he is most excited about the new faces on the team this season, and is expecting to get a good amount of playing time.

“Me and the new group of freshmen are expecting to come in, play immediately and hopefully move forward,” Marrero said. Marrero is optimistic about making it to the NCAA tournament this year, saying, “I want to help change DePaul’s basketball reputation around because they’ve been pretty down in past few years.”

Coach Oliver Purnell is fully confident in Marrero’s playing ability after his rehab, and believes he will make a positive impact on the season.

“He appears to be all the way back and is playing just as hard as anybody on the team,” Purnell said. “He’s providing energy, so we’re hoping he will stay healthy and provide us with a spark.”

Marrero had the chance to perform in his DePaul jersey at the McGrath-Phillips Arena during the exhibition game against Lewis University this past Tuesday. Marrero played for a total of four minutes in the second half of the game, which ended in a 84-79 victory.

Last year’s team ranked last in the Big East conference, but Marrero anticipates being in the top five this year with his assistance.

“I feel 100 percent,” Marrero said. “I’m definitely ready to get out there.”

The Blue Demons will need him. Marrero provides length and skill and will help with physicality and rebounding, two areas that have been lacking. If Marrero remains healthy, he could become one of the stars off the bench.