Lamont Butler can score inside but he's also shown he can hit a 3-point shot. (Vicky Graff Photo)
He came to Kentucky with the reputation of being an elite defensive player and Lamont Butler and the San Diego State transfer certainly has lived up to that billing.
He has four steals and one blocked shot in four games but he’s also been a lockdown defender most of the season.
However, what has been more than a bit surprising about Butler has been his 3-point shooting. He’s no Koby Brea — but who is. Still, he’s 4-for-9 from 3-point range this season after going 3-for-3 in Tuesday’s win over Lipscomb.
“He is an elite level shooter,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after Tuesday’s win.
Pope also said that even though Butler was part of a “brilliant” Final Four run at San Diego State and played in the national title game, he should be a “way better shooter” this season.
“Lamont is going to be a way better shooter in our system because we shoot, that’s what we do. It’s a different style, our emphasis ia different. It doesn’t mean they’re better or worse, it’s just different. Lamont is an elite level shooter. I mean, Lamont shot, I mean, he shot great all summer. He’s shooting it great this season,” Pope said.
“I have every expectation he is going to shoot it great. He actually finishes every shot, his balance is terrific, he’s judicial about the ones that he takes, he works hard to get his feet before his hands. You know, all of the concepts we care about in shooting, he shoots it great. So, he’s a dangerous guy that way.
“It makes the game easier for us when people go under on him because he’s going to make shots and he’s also going to be really smart about it. It’s just who he is. There is no prognosticating, that’s just who he is as a player. He is really good.”
Pope’s philosophy obviously should take the pressure off any shooter.
“We don’t spend time relying on guys making shots, we rely on them taking them,” Pope said Tuesday.
The Kentucky coach was not happy his team took “only” 25 3’s against Lipscomb. He wants around 35 per game but he’s confident Butler will keep making shots.
“Lamont is going to be that way all year. He’s unbelievably solid. If you notice, he shot the ball great for us all camp, he shot it all summer great. He’s a terrific shooter especially what he’s doing now so well is when guys go into ball screens he’s not rushed, he’s actually coming off hard and he’s stopping and is really finding his balance,” Pope said.
“Right now in our scheme he knows if he stops and gets on balance to shoot it and they close out late, he can play the rifle game and he’s devastating in the rifle game especially when someone is close, because now they are out of the position they have tried to be in the scout. It actually distorts everything you tried to prep in the scout coming to him that he can do that play behind, get his balance and if they close get his rifle game and he ends up playing downhill.
“He is very confident with that package, he’s always got it at his disposal. He’s getting better and better at it. I was actually pleased with him getting downhill in transition and winning the gap, that was a huge thing and this is a good steals team and I thought he made two incredible plays downhill that I thought were really special where he protected the ball.”
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These guys have just responded really well to Pope and what he wants to do. It makes a big difference having guys with experience where you can explain something to them and they understand what you are saying.
For this team to be a Final 4 possibility, they will have to buy in completely into Pope’s system. That means passing vs. dribbling. That means giving up a good shot to get a great 3 point shot. That means trusting that whoever is on the receiving end of that extra pass will be able to knock down the shot. Pope wants more 3 point shots, a minimum of 35. We are hitting 45+ percent of our 3 point shots! Brea is shooting 78% from 3. We should be taking at least 40 shots from 3 and could do better than that. We need Butler and Kriisa to be facilitators first, but they want to score. We have a solid 10 deep lineup and sacrifices will have to be made if they truly want a shot at winning a national title. Butler is our starting point guard. I think he wants to win a title for Kentucky, but he also wants to play in the NBA after this season. The same is true for Robinson, Williams, Carr, Brea, Kriisa, and Almonor…all of whom have only this season left to play in college. Garrison and Oweh also have NBA aspirations in 2025, even though they still would have college eligibility remaining. These 9 players will determine how far this Kentucky team will go. If they decide to enhance their NBA draft stock, they will be a regional finalist at best, but no Final 4 appearance. That is void of a title, but still not bad for a Kentucky team that has only won 1 NCAA tourney game in the last 5 years. If they decide to play for Kentucky first, they will be a Final 4 team and have a shot at bringing No. 9 to Lexington in April. It will be interesting to see what this group chooses.
Brea should be taking 10 3 pt shots per game minimum.