Alabama Basketball: Analyzing the Crimson Tide’s rotation for 2018-19
By Dakota Cox
Starting Point Guard: Jared Butler
Alabama likes to play positionless basketball. The only traditional point guard on the roster is Avery Johnson Jr. To fill Collin Sexton’s shoes, the Tide will have to turn to a new freshman in Jared Butler.
Butler was a four-star recruit in the 2018 class. After watching highlights, it’s clear that he has the ability to contribute on a college roster. His handles will help him get to the basket, and his athleticism is enough for him to finish at the rim.
Butler will have to gain trust to compete for minutes in clutch time, but he will have enough talent to start early. If things get tough, he might lose his job to Johnson Jr., but that’s later down the line.
I would expect for Butler to get around 20-25 minutes a game this season. He could play some at the 2 if necessary with his shooting ability, but he’s made to play with the ball in his hands. Set him up in a screen and roll and he will make the defense pay. If he has an obvious mismatch, he can just clear out the screen and beat his man in isolation. It’ll be interesting to see what Jared Butler can do, but I believe that hopes should be very high.