GarageGabs

The NBA is scattered with players that have huge potential and never fulfill it. Guys with high upsides that are just waiting for the right situation to turn into NBA All Stars. I don’t like calling them sleepers….because you know who they are, they are just high upside guys. I watched Caron Butler in college and said to myself: “this guy is going to be a star in the NBA”. He had the total package; He was already gifted with a mans body at 6′7″, 220+, was silky smooth with the ball, had range on his jumper, could finish, and…the biggest thing….his game had a EDGE to it. Butler played with some sort of emotional edge….like he had something to prove.

Butler was chosen with the 10th overall pick in 2002 by the Miami Heat. He didn’t disappoint as a rookie making the NBA all rookie team, and led all rookies in scoring at 15.4 per game. He dropped off dramatically during his 2nd year with Miami to a career low 9.2 points per game while only shooting 38% from the field. Then came the trade. Butler was traded to Los Angeles, along with Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a 1st round pick for Shaquille Oneal. Just so you know, no one can replace a guy like Shaq…Butler couldn’t either. He spent a year in L.A. watching Kobe Bryant shoot before being moved to Washington for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit. He spent most of last season learning to fit in with the Wizards….he still averaged a career high 17.6 points per game, and was a nice compliment to Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison.  With four years of NBA experience under his belt Butler was a good player.  Not a great player…but good.  He was primed for a breakout.
All Butler needed was an opportunity. With the starting SF spot nailed down in Washington and a career high 39 minutes per game, Butler is having a career year. 20 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists and 2 steals per game. Butler is putting up the numbers, and a lot of people probably don’t even realize it. The Wizards are an exciting young team, led by SUPER talented Gilbert Arenas at PG, and Antawn Jamison at PF.  Butler is giving them a potent third option as scorer, leading the team in rebounds, and playing some tough defense.

Want more?  Butler has scored in double figures in every game this season.  He’s had 12 double/doubles.  He played perhaps his best game of the year last week in a 144-139 win over the Phoenix Suns.  Butler hit 12 of 24 field goals, all 9 of his free throws, and picked up 10 rebounds in helping the up and coming Wizards end the Suns 15 game winning streak.  Butler was HUGE down the stretch, scoring 10 of the Suns 17 overtime points…..remember, Gilbert Arenas plays for the Suns…and scored 54 points that evening….but it was Butler taking and making some very big shots in that overtime period.  Butler has become a man.

I believe this is the beginning of a very nice career for Butler.  I call this year a career year, but I believe he’ll get even better.  He reminds me a lot of Scottie Pippen.  Versatile player that can do it all who doesn’t forget the importance of defense……and a scowl.