Jordan Butler 'dripping with potential' ahead of first season with South Carolina
When Jordan Butler was in high school, South Carolina was one of the strongest pushers for his services.
Butler was one of the top prospects in the state – and the entire country – at the time. The 6-foot-11 forward from Christ Church Episcopal High School in Greenville, South Carolina, was the No. 90 recruit in the country and the No. 2 prospect from the Palmetto State, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
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Lamont Paris said he saw a player who was compatible with the Gamecocks’ offense in Butler.
“If you just look at me as a coach and what I want to do offensively, and you look at what we did last year, he fits,” Paris said. “He fits right in there.”
Butler eventually joined the Gamecocks via the transfer portal this past offseason, a move that returned him to his home state. The program welcomed him with open arms, Paris said, when Butler first arrived on campus.
But Paris said Butler, from an on-court standpoint, has plenty of untapped potential that could benefit South Carolina moving forward.
“He’s dripping with potential. In fact, I’m not even sure if he’s aware of what it really could look like one day. In its purist form, I’m not sure he really understands that,” Paris said. “Part of my job is to make him see that.”
Despite seeing limited playing time at Missouri, Butler already possesses plenty of offensive skill, Paris said.
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“He’s got really good feel as a passer. He’s comfortable with the ball on the perimeter. He’ll be able to score at the basket in one-on-one scenarios at some point – who knows what that looks like and when. But it’s on the table for him,” Paris said. “He can handle the ball really well for a guy of his size.”
Paris said Butler could contribute to the Gamecocks’ defensive efforts as well.
“I was really impressed with what he did last year defensively, from an effort standpoint,” Paris said. “He moved his feet on some smaller guys.”
Paris added that having played in the SEC has given Butler an advantage, much like Myles Stute did when he arrived from Vanderbilt last season. But becoming a more confident shooter is how Paris said he believes Butler can begin reaching his high ceiling.
“(He’s) trying to continue to get to a point where he goes from a guy that says, ‘I can make shots,’ to a guy that says, I do make shots.’ Actually, when you make shots like that, you’re not the one that says it. Oher people say that about you,” Paris said. “I think that’s on the table for him, 100 percent.”
