“Most underrated player in the country”: Kentucky star can trouble Cooper Flagg and Duke, claims NCAAB analyst
NCAA basketball analyst Anthony Wright believes Kentucky Wildcats guard Lamont Butler is the most underrated player in the nation and could cause trouble against Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils in their upcoming game on Tuesday.
Appearing on the "Field of 68" podcast with The Athletic staff writer CJ Moore, former NBA player John Henson and radio host Chris Childers, Wright shared his hot take:
"I think Lamont Butler is the most underrated player in the country. He reminds me of [Jamal] Shead from Houston last year. He's a bulldog. As long as he's healthy, this Kentucky team can get to a Final Four."
(from 2:27 mark onwards)
The 6-foot-2 point guard cemented himself as one of the best defensive players in Division I, earning the 2024 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive Team honors thrice. He famously led the San Diego State Aztecs to a Final Four berth in 2023.
Butler averaged 9.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in his senior season with SDSU before transferring to Kentucky. Playing in his fifth year as the biggest transferee to the Wildcats, the 22-year-old impressed in his first two games with his new team.
Butler put up numbers across all statistical categories in his debut against Wright State Raiders, pouring 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in 22 minutes of action. He followed this by tallying six points, one rebound and one assist in the 100-72 routing against the Bucknell Bison.
Butler and Co. headline Tuesday's slate of games, as they face No. 6 Duke in the Champions Classic. The Blue Devils snatched 2024 top recruit Cooper Flagg into their ranks and had 30-point wins against Maine and Army.
Lamont Butler and Kentucky Wildcats hope for a deep run into March Madness
Kentucky is currently ranked No. 19 in the latest AP poll rankings, but Wright still praises the current version of the Wildcats.
"This Kentucky team, in my opinion, has the highest floor in the country. I believe they could be one of the better defenses in the country as well," Wright said.
"They have old guys who really want to win. They have one of the best shooting teams in the country, too. They just have a lot of guys who this is really their last go around. They don't care about their stats, they just want to win games," he added.
(from 1:50 mark onwards)
Kentucky had a 23-10 record last year in John Calipari's 15th and final stint with the Wildcats. Despite stand-out performances from Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards and Antonio Reeves, the Wildcats suffered a first-round exit from March Madness against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
Despite the transfers of D.J. Wagner, Zvonimir Ivišić and Aaron Bradshaw, the Wildcats filled their absences with new transfer signings. Aside from Butler, Kentucky welcomed Jaxson Robinson, Koby Brea, Brandon Garrison and Kerr Kriisa who are playing in their final year of college eligibility.
Despite the aged roster under Mark Pope's first season with the team, Kentucky is adamant about securing a spot in the Final Four and lifting their ninth tournament championship, their first since 2012.