With the NBA Season now under way, The AOSN decided it was a good time to start yet another “Stud” special but this time for the NBA. The AOSN did one called “Stud Watch” for baseball diamond and will now carry it over to the hardwood. The criteria for this special is simple, they are basketball players who produce “stud like” numbers but don’t get the recognition they deserve. These players aren’t household names, but after this special we are hoping you start paying more attention to these players. So sit back, and enjoy!
Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls, SG/SF
Butler was not heavily recruited coming out of high school and chose to attend Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. After his freshman season, he transferred to Marquette University. Butler moved into the starting lineup as a junior during the 2009–10 season. During his college career, Butler never had eye popping numbers nor was he a big name throughout the college basketball system.
College statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Marquette | 35 | 0 | 19.6 | .514 | .000 | .768 | 3.9 | .7 | .5 | .5 | 5.6 |
| 2009–10 | Marquette | 34 | 34 | 34.3 | .530 | .500 | .766 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .6 | 14.7 |
| 2010–11 | Marquette | 37 | 35 | 34.6 | .490 | .345 | .783 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 1.4 | .4 | 15.7 |
| Career[2] | 106 | 69 | 29.6 | .508 | .383 | .773 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .5 | 12.0 |
The most impressive trait about his game is that he excels at more than one thing. He is a consistent scorer, great rebounder for a shooting guard, has the ability to pass the ball to open teammates, and plays shutdown defense. Butler was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls and played off the bench for all of his rookie year.
Strengths
- Consistent scorer
- Great rebounder
- Good ability to find open teammate
- Shut down defense
- Plays high minutes
Butler is the type of player that allows his play do all the talking, instead of being cocky and playing with style. Instead Butler acts as the “Silent Killer.” He has the ability to score at a consistent rate, making about 40% of his shots. For a shooting guard he is also a terrific rebounder, averaging 5 rebounds during his 2014 campaign. He could average more rebounds but due to his shot down defense against his opponents he doesn’t get the consistent time under the rim to pulled down missed shots. Butler has the ability to shut down the best offense players in the NBA, for example when he faced DeMar DeRozan on November 11th he held him to only 10 points, he allowed DeRozen to only make 3 of his 17 shot attempts. He is also good at finding his open teammates when he doesn’t have an open shot, he averages around 2 assists per game. The most impressive trait about his game is that he is able to play 36+ minutes a game without decreasing his stats.
Outlook
He has a high ceiling with his ability to stuff the stat sheet every night. They may not be jaw dropping numbers but he is able to produce at a consistent rate even with his high minutes. With his ability to score at a 40% rate he doesn’t take bad shots and is able to find his open teammates when he doesn’t have an open shot. Butler can shut down any great offensive weapon he faces against during any night. With his great production and high minutes Jimmy Butler will be a fan favorite in Chicago for years to come.
Photo Credit: Getty Images