![]() ![]() He averaged 15.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, which helped him earn Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors four times. During his rookie season, he caught the attention of the entire league. He was a lottery pick in the draft, selected tenth overall by the Miami Heat. In 2016, the UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball team inducted Caron into the “Huskies of Honor,” where he became the 24th member.įollowing a strong sophomore year at UConn, Butler declared for the 2002 NBA Draft. His leadership and dominant play also helped the Huskies advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. He was named Co-Big East Player of the Year and made Second-Team, All-American. Averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, Butler led UConn to an outright Big East Championship in 2002. He returned to UConn with an even greater competitive edge. The summer between his freshman and sophomore year at UConn, Butler helped lead the United States to a gold medal in one of the most prestigious international basketball tournaments, the 2001 FIBA World Championship for Young Men. As a freshman, Butler led the entire team in scoring and rebounding with 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He showed up to camp ready to compete, and compete he did. During his years there, Butler polished his game and earned a scholarship to play for Coach Jim Calhoun at the legendary Big East powerhouse, the University of Connecticut.īefore he even started a game for the Huskies, Butler demonstrated his competitive spirit as he worked out and lost 15 pounds off of his six foot seven inch frame in order to improve his agility. With a renewed enthusiasm and hunger for success, Butler moved to Maine to attend Maine Central Institute. After seeing her pain, he knew he had to change. He says one of the most defining moments was watching his mother’s eyes as he rode away in the back of a squad car the last of fifteen times before he turned 15. However, Butler credits his trouble-ridden past for providing him with the motivation he needed to transform his life. He was a standout basketball player at Racine Park High School, but playing professional basketball and getting out of Racine did not even seem within the realm of possibility, especially considering the propensity he had for running into trouble with the law. He came from a troubled background, growing up on the streets of Racine, Wisconsin. Though Butler now finds himself as a NBA-league veteran, the road to becoming a successful basketball player was not an easy one for him. This commitment to aggressive yet passionate play led former-coach Eddie Jordan to give Butler the nickname “Tuff Juice.” It is this style of play that has solidified Butler as one of the most prominent forwards in the game today. Butler defends the basket with ferocity, and challenges anyone who stands in his way. He is receptive to his coaches and to his teammates, he is reliable on and off the court, and he constantly thinks about what he can do to benefit the team and his community. His competitive drive is accompanied by a winning mindset and he approaches every situation with a positive attitude. He trains mercilessly, studies intently, and plays tenaciously. ![]() Twitter Account: Account: Butler plays basketball with an edge. You talk about who we are and what we are and what we embody, Caron Butler is somebody who brought me up under his wing.Draft: 2002 First Round, 10th Pick (by Miami Heat) Not that they needed my blessing, but I was on board. It’s something that I had gotten wind of early on and I was on board, man. “It’s something that coach Spo and I talked about. “That’s amazing,” Haslem said Friday when asked about Butler joining Spoelstra’s staff. He also worked as a studio analyst for Spectrum SportsNet’s coverage of the Lakers and worked as an occasional game analyst for the Washington Wizards during the 2019-20 season. ![]() I didn’t understand it then, but I understand it now.”īefore taking his first NBA coaching job with the Heat, Butler served as a Turner Sports NBA analyst since 2018. I was like ‘Why? Why should I take off my hoodie?’ He was like, ‘Just take off your hoodie.’ That was my rookie year. Caron Butler told me that when you walk down the street, take off your hoodie. “Over here is different - you gotta be careful,” Antetokounmpo said in August amid the social justice discussions that took place inside the NBA’s Disney bubble.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |