Mark Pope calls Lamont Butler 'an elite-level shooter' after perfect night from beyond the arc

Throughout his college career (which now spans 132 total games), Lamont Butler has been known for his elite-level defense. Multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards in the Mountain West during his time at San Diego State back that up. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, the fifth-year point guard is picking up opposing ball handlers before they can cross halfcourt, hounding them with intense pressure until they have no choice but to give up the rock.

But Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is telling us not to forget about Butler’s offensive skillset.

During Tuesday night’s 97-68 win over Lipscomb, Butler had his best performance on offense yet as a Wildcat. He dropped in a season-high 16 points during just 17 minutes of action, shooting 6-8 overall from the field while making all three of his shots from deep.

“You know how he is on defense. He’s a menace on defense and then when he has it going on offense, it’s tough to match up with,” Kentucky fifth-year guard Jaxson Robinson said postgame. “I think Lamont played great tonight. We need him every single night and I think he’s stepped into that leader role as well. I’m super proud of him.”

Lamont Butler vs. Lipscomb:

🔹 6/8 FG
🔹 3/3 3PT
🔹 16 PTS
🔹 +27

🔗: https://t.co/XHSF8SocnC pic.twitter.com/cj1MRUE3P0

— Daniel Hager (@DanielHagerKSR) November 20, 2024

Coming into Kentucky’s fourth game of the season, Butler was just 1-6 from long range in the previous three outings combined. He was a career 32.1 percent outside shooter during four seasons at San Diego State — a respectable, yet still below-average number. Opposing teams have almost dared him to shoot at times, going under ball screens to prevent him from driving to the rim, which is where he truly thrives on that end of the floor.

But when he’s hitting shots from deep, it completely changes how a defense guards Butler, which in turn changes how they have to guard the other four Wildcats on the floor.

“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,” Pope said, also highlighting Butler’s drives to the rim against Lipscomb that opened up as a result of making threes earlier in the night.

Pope wants even more shooting from Butler though. He emphasized the work that Butler has put in with his shot during the offseason. Pope wants his team to hover around the 35 three-point attempts per game range instead of the 25 mark they hit against Lipscomb. In a system that is big on getting up shots, Butler can help his team reach that number.

“He is an elite-level shooter,” Pope said of Butler. “Listen, and please don’t get me in trouble for what I’m saying, because (San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher) is one of the great coaches in all of college basketball and Lamont’s run at San Diego State was brilliant. I mean, he couldn’t have been any better. They couldn’t have been any better, I mean they went to a national championship game. 

“But 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 emphases are different. It doesn’t mean they’re better or worse, it’s just different. Lamont is an elite-level shooter.”

Butler adds that he has “a lot of confidence in my shot,” but he couldn’t help but chuckle when asked about Pope’s comments about him being an elite shooter. Was there some hyperbole in Pope’s words? Of course, even if he would never admit it. It’s not disrespectful to say Butler isn’t among the nation’s top three-point threats. We know this because Kentucky has a handful of truly elite shooters on the roster.

“It’s tough calling myself an elite shooter when I’m around elite shooters. But I hold my own,” Butler said.

But working with those guys in practice gives Butler something to strive for. The more he hits from deep, the more dangerous Kentucky will get.

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