Published Jul 18, 2002
Is Butler Good Enough Now For NBA
Mike Sullivan
Publisher
If you are a basketball fan and live in the South, you obviously have heard of Jackie Butler, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound center from McComb (Miss.) High School.
In a loss to the Baltimore Select, Butler scored 14 points. Players like Richard Dorsey and Denard Abraham battled Butler in this game. Against Team Minnesota, Butler dropped in 20 points.
Butler certainly has the skills to someday be an NBA player. But taking it to the next level is dangerous for any high school player without first proving it on the college level. The experience of playing on the college level would only help Butler and his chances of having a long NBA career. Consistency needs to be improved and extending his range on his jumper would help him avoid double and triple teamming in the post.
Alabama, LSU, Louisville and Ole Miss are the schools frequently mentioned by him as possibilities if he decides to take the college route. But he has also mentioned schools like Florida, Michigan, and North Carolina too.
This route needs to be seriously looked at.