Mark Pope and his new staff didn’t take long to add another talented transfer to the Kentucky basketball team. Former San Diego State point guard Lamont Butler will play in Lexington in 2024.
Butler is most famous for making the buzzer beating shot to send the Aztecs to the championship game. His experience in March Madness is a huge plus. He is also an excellent defender, which Kentucky sorely missed last season.
He wasn’t a highly recruited player originally, ranking as the 38th best point guard in his class. Butler chose San Diego St over several more high-profile colleges.
Last season, Butler averaged just over nine points per game to go along with three assists. His real impact has been on defense. He averaged 1.5 steals per game in 2023-24 and was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference.
Butler is a nice addition to the 2024 roster for Pope, who continues to build his roster from scratch. Getting an experienced guard who can defend is a something Big Blue Nation should be happy about.