“I’m not sure there’s a situation that he hasn’t seen at some level,” Zanik said. He has a quick and fluid release which should translate seamlessly to the NBA.Īs a playmaker, Butler has a strong feel for both timing and space, throwing creative passes to his teammates on the perimeter and in the paint off the dribble.Īfter the draft, the Jazz said they liked the guard’s experience at Baylor and his ability to adjust on the fly. His tight handle and large collection of dribble moves allow him to break down defenders both when attacking the paint and stepping back for threes.īutler’s shooting is a true threat with the ball in his hands and in catch and shoot situations, allowing him to create his own shot, and space the floor for players around him. uFYI9t3Q0aīutler has excellent ballhandling skills, easily navigating the floor against a variety of defensive looks in college, and rarely gets sped up. The Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, Butler has very few holes in his game with deep range, an excellent feel for the game and soft touch on his floater. He’s a threat both as a scorer and playmaker for his teammates, knocking down better than 40 percent of his three-point shots as a junior while also dishing out nearly five assists per game.Įnjoyed breaking down Jared Butler's offensive versatility with the Baylor guard. The Baylor guard has an incredible feel for the game, reading opposing defenses and comfortably taking whatever is given to him. “He has produced in big games, he’s a great leader and a great teammate.” “He’s got a varied skill set that he’s displayed at the highest levels of college basketball with a lot of experience playing in really big games,” Zanik said. The guard was a two-time All-Big 12 team selection, a Big-12 All-Defensive team member, and was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the Bears to the NCAA championship over Gonzaga in April.īutler averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds at Baylor as a junior, including a 22 point, seven assist performance in the championship game. We feel really good about him, so we’re excited to have him.”ĭespite the physical concerns, Butler became one of the most productive and winningest players in college basketball. “I don’t want to get into any other of those details. “We’re excited to add him to the Utah Jazz,” Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said about Butler’s heart concerns after leaving Baylor. #TakeNote Īfter committing to Alabama where the heart issue was found, Butler transferred to Baylor where he was cleared to play. The got a steal when they selected guard Jared Butler with the 40th pick in the second round of the draft.

Sources also told KSL Sports that some teams had significant concerns about the junior guard’s knees upon leaving Baylor. SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz may very well have gotten the steal of the draft when they selected Jared Butler with the 40th pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.īutler was considered a top-20 prospect by most outlets but fell in the draft due to a heart condition he’d been diagnosed with coming out of high school.

Jared butler baylor 2021