When Lamont Butler committed to San Diego State over schools like Washington, Boise State, Harvard, and Saint Mary’s, he was a relatively unheralded 3-star prospect ranked by 247Sports. At 6'1" and 175 pounds, Butler’s potential was evident, but his path to becoming one of the Aztecs' top performers wasn’t guaranteed. He then put in the work and led his team to the Final Four.
He is currently leading the Cats as a standout guard. Now listed at 6'2" and 205 pounds, Butler’s physical and statistical transformation underscores his relentless work ethic and dedication to the game.
That’s big time kid. Conference championship in your freshman year pic.twitter.com/WTS4iTWWVR
— Lamont Butler Sr. (@Lamontsre) March 4, 2021
Lamont Butler is a rising freshman at SDSU. Today he recorded a career high in assists(6) and matched his highs in rebounds(4) and points(13) pic.twitter.com/Bl0O1mSve4
— East Village Times (@EVT_News) January 29, 2021
As a freshman in 2020-21, Butler averaged just 4.3 points per game in 12.4 minutes, shooting 39.6% from the field. Fast forward to the current 2024-25 season, and the senior guard has emerged as a dominant force, averaging 15.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 60.8% from the field and 48.1% from beyond the arc. His development as a scorer, distributor, and defender highlights the significant strides he’s made over his college career.
2020 G Lamont Butler of Riverside Poly High School has won back to back tournament MVPs after his 24 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB performance last night in championship game. Riverside Poly (8-1) with the 66-50 victory over Rancho Cucamonga. pic.twitter.com/vnYuamEOD6
— All In Elite UA (@allineliteua) December 9, 2018
A key part of Butler’s success has been his dedication to improving his physique. Adding 30 pounds of muscle since his freshman year, he has transformed himself into a more versatile and durable player. The added strength has improved his ability to finish at the rim, compete defensively, and withstand the rigors of an intense collegiate schedule.
The Butler did it!
— Bluegrass Sports Commission (@BGSportsComm) December 15, 2024
With 33 points on perfect 100% shooting from the field (10/10 fgs, 6/6 3pt), @KentuckyMBB @lamont_butler1 is the MVP of the #BattlefortheBluegrass pic.twitter.com/XEobnf9R2B
Beyond the numbers, Butler’s impact on Kentucky is evident in his leadership and consistency. Mark Pope made it a priority to take his entire staff out west and recruit him when he went into the portal. Now that same coaching staff trusts him to take on a larger role, and he has delivered, becoming a reliable playmaker and shot-maker for a team with high expectations.
From all of the comments from Mark Pope, I don't expect Lamont Butler to play against Louisville today.
— Chris Beasmore (@CBeasmoreSports) December 14, 2024
I hope I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem like Butler is 100% from his ankle injury.
I wish Butler the best and we will definitely need PG 1 come SEC time. #BBN pic.twitter.com/FDlZeCU95c
Butler’s story is a testament to hard work and perseverance. From an overlooked recruit to a key contributor on one of the top programs in the country, his journey reminds us that development in college basketball is as much about determination as it is about raw talent. He kept working is now thriving.