Jackie Butler
 Butler with theNew York Knicksin 2006 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 10, 1985 McComb, Mississippi,U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| NBA draft | 2004:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2004–2007 |
| Position | Center/power forward |
| Number | 45 |
| Career history | |
| 2004–2005 | Great Lakes Storm |
| 2005–2006 | New York Knicks |
| 2006–2007 | San Antonio Spurs |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Statsat NBA.com | |
| Statsat Basketball-Reference.com | |
Jackie Butler(born March 10, 1985) is an American former professionalbasketballplayer. He attendedMcComb High SchoolinMcComb, Mississippi,and transferred to Coastal Christian Academy inVirginia Beachfor his final high school season.
Butler skipped college and declared for the 2004 NBA draft, but was not selected. He joined theGreat Lakes Stormof theContinental Basketball Association(CBA), and wonRookie of the Yearwhilst also being named to the All-CBA First Team. Butler signed with theNew York Knicksin February 2005. In July 2006, he signed with theSan Antonio Spurs,whom he won the2007 NBA Finalswith.
Early life and high school career
[edit]Butler was born inMcComb, Mississippiand attended McComb High School and originally committed to play atMississippi State Universitybut failed to qualify academically. He enrolled at Laurinburg Institute inNorth Carolinafor academic purposes but he departed after a reported altercation with a teammate.[1]He then transferred to Coastal Christian Academyprep schoolinVirginia Beach.[2]Although he wanted to sign with theUniversity of Tennesseein 2004, he decided to declare for the2004 NBA draft,the first player that year to do so.[3]
Professional career
[edit]Great Lakers Storm (2004–2005)
[edit]Butler went undrafted in the2004 NBA draftand signed as afree agentwith theMinnesota Timberwolves.He was then cut training camp.[4]Butler began the 2004–05 season with theContinental Basketball Association(CBA) where over 40 games with theGreat Lakes Stormhe averaged 18.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.[5]He was named theCBA Rookie of the Yearand selected to the All-CBA First Team.[6]
New York Knicks (2005–2006)
[edit]On February 27, 2005, Butler signed with theNew York Knicksfor the rest of the2004–05 NBA season,[5]scoring ten points over three games. He later was drafted in the 2005AAPBLdraft. However, the league folded soon thereafter.
WhenLarry Brownwas hired as theNew York Knicks' head coach, it was unclear what sort of role Butler would have. After the preseason, Brown publicly commented on how happy he was with Butler, and considered him his fourth rookie (afterChanning Frye,Nate Robinson,andDavid Lee). After a rocky start, Butler was soon praised as being the Knicks' best center, withEddy CurryandJerome Jameshaving disappointing starts to their Knicks careers. For the2005–06 NBA seasonButler played in 55 games averaging 13.5 minutes, 5.3 points (54.4% field goal accuracy) and 3.3 rebounds per game. He earned US$641,748 with the Knicks.
San Antonio Spurs (2006–2007)
[edit]In July 2006, Butler signed a three-year, US$7 million contract with theSan Antonio Spurs.[7]He was considered a long-term project. Spurs coachGregg Popovichsaid on October 26, 2006, "most of his playing time in the initial part of the season is going to be in practice, learning what a work ethic is day in and day out and what it takes to play at this level."[8]Butler never played with the Spurs during the2007 NBA Playoffs,but the Spurs won the2007 NBA Finals.[4]
On July 12, 2007, the Spurs traded Butler and the rights toLuis Scolato theHouston RocketsforVasileios Spanoulis,a2009 second-round draft pickand cash.[9]He played on the Rockets' 2007 summer league team, but was waived in the2007–08 NBA preseason(October 2007).
Career statistics
[edit]| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goalpercentage | 3P% | 3-point field goalpercentage | FT% | Free throwpercentage |
| RPG | Reboundsper game | APG | Assistsper game | SPG | Stealsper game |
| BPG | Blocksper game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | New York | 3 | 0 | 1.7 | 1.000 | — | 1.000 | .0 | .0 | .3 | .0 | 3.3 |
| 2005–06 | New York | 55 | 0 | 13.5 | .544 | — | .753 | 3.3 | .5 | .3 | .6 | 5.3 |
| 2006–07† | San Antonio | 11 | 2 | 9.4 | .457 | — | .900 | 2.0 | .5 | .2 | .0 | 3.7 |
| Career | 69 | 2 | 12.3 | .539 | — | .775 | 3.0 | .4 | .3 | .4 | 5.0 | |
References
[edit]- ^"Grandmother Says Butler Didn't Receive Money".Enterprise-Journal.March 15, 2021.RetrievedDecember 25,2022.
- ^"A Prep Player's Journey to Pros".Wall Street Journal.March 14, 2005.RetrievedDecember 25,2022.
- ^Monter, Chris (February 12, 2004)."Jackie Butler is first early entry into NBA Draft".CollegeBasketballNews.com.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
- ^ab"Jackie Butler bio".NBA. Archived fromthe originalon November 9, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
- ^ab"Teenage Center Signs With the Knicks".The New York Times.February 28, 2005.RetrievedSeptember 16,2020.
- ^"Jackie Butler minor league basketball statistics".Stats Crew.RetrievedJune 23,2021.
- ^Beck, Howard (July 20, 2006)."Looking at Bottom Line, Knicks Let Butler Go".The New York Times.
- ^Ludden, Johnny (October 26, 2006)."Butler finding right track with Spurs".San Antonio Express-News.Archived fromthe originalon March 12, 2008.
- ^Ludden, Johnny (July 12, 2007)."Spurs find spot for Scola, Butler — Houston".San Antonio Express-News.Archived fromthe originalon May 3, 2008.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information fromNBA.comandBasketball-Reference.com
- NBA biography of Butler