Butler Basketball: 2017-18 player grades for the Bulldogs

Speaking of players who took strides this season, Henry Baddley was a solid bench option in 2017-18. His per game averages are not spectacular but he shot a high percentage from three and was an active defender. Entering the year, there were little to no expectations about the sophomore stepping up to play a big role for the Bulldogs. However, Baddley turned in some big-time performances, including a 20-point outburst against Western Illinois and a 14-point game against Xavier.

He played in over 15 minutes per game and was an instrumental part of Butler’s late-game full-court press, a defense that allowed them to come back in more than one game. It is unlikely that Baddley will ever become an offensive superstar but he has a well-rounded game. He has unique athletic gifts that give him the potential to be an elite collegiate defender.

What made Baddley so important this season, though, was his ability to stretch the floor. After not making a single 3-pointer (8 attempts) as a freshman, Baddley clearly showed offseason improvement from deep. He made 20 of his 43 attempts (46.5%) from deep this season, the majority of which came from the corner. If Baddley is going to shoot 40%+ from distance, he will be a dangerous asset moving forward.