Lamont Butler bought uniforms for a San Diego high school team last season. (X Photo)
Kentucky coach Mark Pope started a major recruiting weekend with a terrific addition in San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler.
He played four years for the Aztecs and averaged 7.7 points, 2.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 131 career games, including 102 starts.
It was Butler who hit the buzzer beating shot against Florida Atlantic in the 2023 Final Four before San Diego State lost to UConn in the national title game.
Last season he averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game and was named the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The 6-2 Butler was a three-star player in his recruiting class who had offers from Washington, Harvard, Boise State, Saint Mary’s and Colorado.
Butler has played in 11 NCAA Tournament games — the kind of experience that Pope can use not only from day one but especially in postseason play.
Pope and his three assistant coaches were in Las Vegas Friday to meet with Butler and that led to his commitment.
Butler certainly has a giving spirit that Kentucky fans should like. He donated new uniforms to the San Diego High School varsity boys basketball team last December via “The Butler Did It Foundation” thanks to NIL.
The high school team only had one set of uniforms to use all season after giving their alternate uniforms to the freshman team at the school.
7 Responses
Very good "GET" here for a number of reasons—solid, dependable, experienced guard with major NCAA Tournament experience under his belt, and definitely not afraid of that stage…..will bring early leadership and stability that will be much-needed for Pope’s first team. If they could get 4 of that main group of 6 portal players that have been reported–Osobor, Smith, Carr, Stojakovich, Oweh, Mahaney–that would make for a very solid core of a first-year group of transfers, to go along with Chandler, Williams, and Perry. Then if they could get another dark-horse or two that we haven’t really heard about yet, (Jaxson Robinson is now in the portal, and that would be a huge addition to the group) u would have enough to field a very solid, very experienced, and very competitive first-year team. I really really wish Adou would come back and play one more year with us, I have always really liked that kid, I thought he was one of the few who always gave his all, no matter what, in terms of effort and hard work. He was as close to a defender and rebounder as we had on last year’s team. I think he could do wonders in and thrive in Pope’s system and under his development as a coach. He would be the key difference in how good next year’s team could be–because he would bring a combo of veteran leadership, experience, and talent. Probably too much to hope for. I just think, unfortunately, any kids who have already played for or been recruited under CAL just don’t see the University of Kentucky as being the same or being what it is without CAL there. And that’s sadly enough the same toxic effect he has had on a large segment of our fan base, which is sickening. That shows u the true level of power and influence of a slick, experienced con man, the type that can make u believe anything……. I have full faith and confidence in Mark Pope as the bball coach at the University of Kentucky–because he is out there selling what we all have been clamoring for for years: the KY brand. Some guys are going to go for that, some guys are not. And sure, all the guys will evaluate their NBA options at the end of each year, that’s the world we live in now, but Mark Pope is going to make playing for the University of Kentucky MEAN SOMETHING again. The guys he will get will be here because they WANT to play for HIM, and they WANT to play for KY. And that’s what I have missed. And that’s all I have ever wanted back. And honestly, I have always dreamed of having one of our former players be able to coach here one day, but always figured it was probably too farfetched of a reality–plus I never believed CAL would EVER leave KY on his own, unless it was to retire for good. But he finally had enough. It all finally got to him and came crashing down on him. Disasters like he manifested over time always have to give at some point–the dam is always gonna bust eventually. And I’m just so damn thankful to see him gone, and out of this state, and out of our lives. And I can honestly say I lived to see a personal dream come true–a former player coming back home to coach his own. If any bball program in the country should have taken a chance with that idea, shouldnt it be the University of Kentucky? What more fitting program to be in the hands of one of its own? And don’t think that this guy hasn’t learned a thing or two in his day from Rick Pitino as his coach that will DEFINITELY show up here with him now as our coach. I mean, the guy is a damn genius, a Rhodes Scholar and was studying to be a doctor. His level of intelligence, alone, is enough to instill faith and confidence in him as a bball coach when it comes to in-game strategies, game situations, the intricacies of the game, the X’s and O’s…….and he has put together a very solid staff of guys of the same intelligence level and bball minds, and guys who GET HIM, who know him, know his needs and the things that make him tick, and so on…….Mark Pope, the human being and bball coach, fits all the criteria and checks all the boxes, as Barnhart said, to be the bball coach at the University of Kentucky, and that’s why im so thankful that HE is the coach and John Calipari is not. Quite frankly, it’s refreshing to have a KY coach who can speak publicly in complete sentences instead of run-ons, fragments, and disjointed spews of absolutely NOTHING! Congrats, Coach Pope, on the addition of Lamont Butler–I really think he is going to be a good one for us. And hope to see more in the coming weeks and months! It’s an exciting time to be a KY fan!!! We love u, Coach Pope! And we thank you for coming back home!!
GO CATS!!!
Ortega Oweh!!!
Brand new Wildcat!
Defensively one of the strongest guards in the portal.
Unfortunately the Kentucky “brand” will have to be accompanied by competitive NIL monies. That will hurt the ongoing recruiting success.
Saddens me but it is what it is.
There’s too much fresh air to have on going negative remarks about UK basketball program. We’re in a new era and Pope will get the job done. Off to great start of getting his staff and recruiting the players we need.
Mark is putting a team together. We now have 2 point guards, 2 shooting guards, and a center. Osobor is the next big domino we need to get. By the end of next week we will know what kind of team we will have.