Butler Basketball: Previewing Khalif Battle’s impact for 2019-20

Khalif Battle is one of Butler basketball’s highest-rated commits in program history. How will he make an impact on the Dawgs as a freshman?

Butler basketball head coach LaVall Jordan is ushering in a new era. Ever since taking over as the top dawg at the program, Coach Jordan has shown significant chops on the recruiting trail and he is starting to mold the roster in his image. The first major high school commit of his tenure is now set to play his first minutes as a true freshman in Hinkle Fieldhouse and expectations are high for the young wing. Khalif Battle…welcome to Butler.

Ranked as the No. 99 overall prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, Battle represents one of the best commits in Butler program history. He stands at 6-foot-5 and is absolutely oozing with star potential. Battle is an outstanding athlete, three-level scorer, and a potentially dynamic defender as well. Although not much of a playmaker at this point, he brings a varied skill set to the table and he should be an impact player from the opening tip of his college career.

With regards to this coming season, Battle should be one of Butler’s primary reserves in the backcourt. Aaron Thompson and Kamar Baldwin look poised to reprise their starting roles with the team and Battle will compete for sixth man spot behind them. Paul Jorgensen graduated after this past season and is leaving 26.5 minutes per game behind. This will open the door for Butler’s highly-ranked freshman to see the floor right away.

Butler basketball is fresh off a disappointing campaign but there are some reasons for optimism heading into this season. Frontcourt additions Derrik Smits and Bryce Nze are at the core of this due to their ability to fill major positional needs and weaknesses but Khalif Battle is the most exciting of the newcomers in Indianapolis.

Now, without any further ado, let’s dive a little deeper into Battle’s game and analyze his potential impact on the Dawgs for the 2019-20 season.