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

On the defensive end…

There is also plenty of potential for Khalif Battle to be an impact defender at the college level. While he might never reach the elite status of his backcourt compadres in Thompson and Baldwin, Battle can definitely hold his own on this end of the floor. He is very athletic and uses his great foot speed to keep up with most ball-handlers. Additionally, Battle’s 6-foot-5 frame allows him to switch onto different positions in each set.

As long as Battle maintains a high motor this season, he will be a solid defender. There should be no reason to worry about him being a liability on this end of the floor despite being a true freshman. He brings all of the skills necessary to be a solid defender right away and there is also room for him to grow. Considering he will be backing up Thompson and Baldwin this year, it is reasonable to assume that the starting pair will teach their heir some tricks to being sensational defenders.

For the time being, I will peg Battle as a solid defender this season but nothing more or less. There is definite potential for him to be a reliable stopper but it is unlikely that he will reach elite levels this season. It will also help that he will always share the court with at least one of Thompson/Baldwin. Battle will likely be beaten occasionally but he can also respond by playing the passing lanes for steals and transition finishes. He is a bit of a gambler defensively but that shouldn’t be an issue considering the Dawgs will have two capable shot-blockers in Bryce Nze and Derrik Smits as help defenders.

Battle is mostly known as an offensive player and it can be difficult to project defensive impact for incoming freshmen, especially in the backcourt.