#Caron butler professional

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.

#Caron butler professional

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. He is another one of many players that has had a rough road to the NBA, but has managed to make it despite his tough childhood.Draft: 2002 First Round, 10th Pick (by Miami Heat) He is averaging a career best 19.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, and he made the 2007 All-Star team as a reserve. He has played his best basketball since arriving in Washington. After one season in LA, he was traded again to Washington for Kwame Brown and LaRon Profit. In 2004, Butler was part of the package that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Shaquille O’Neal.

In his sophomore season, he was named co-Big East Player of the Year with Pittsburgh’s Brandin Knight and was a second-team All American after a season averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.Įight years after being released from prison, Caron Butler was picked 10 th overall by the Miami Heat. In his freshman season, he lead the Huskies in both scoring and rebounding, with 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Butler played two seasons at UConn before declaring himself for the 2002 NBA Draft. He then enrolled at Maine Central Institute, where Jim Calhoun offered him a scholarship to play at UConn. Once out of prison, Butler had a brief career at Washington Park High School. But even though Butler was an impressive basketball player, like many kids in his neighborhood, he couldn’t make a name for himself except amongst the local police officers. It was obvious from an early age that Butler had promise as a person and as a basketball player.