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Butler Basketball: Setting 2020 offseason priorities for the Dawgs

By Lukas Harkins

VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 21: Bryce Golden #33, Aaron Thompson #2, Bryce Nze #10, and Jordan Tucker #1 of the Butler Bulldogs huddle against the Villanova Wildcats at Finneran Pavilion on January 21, 2020 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 21: Bryce Golden #33, Aaron Thompson #2, Bryce Nze #10, and Jordan Tucker #1 of the Butler Bulldogs huddle against the Villanova Wildcats at Finneran Pavilion on January 21, 2020 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 07: Butler Bulldogs mascot chews. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 07: Butler Bulldogs mascot chews. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. Implement newcomers as soon as possible.

I’ve already mentioned Butler’s talented recruiting class in passing, but now is the time to really dive into its potential impact. The Dawgs are only returning four players who averaged more than five minutes per game last season and one of them (Christian David) will likely miss the start of the year as he continues to recover from an ACL tear. With so few proven returning pieces, there will be plenty of opportunities for the newcomers to the program to make their marks.

Butler’s 2020 recruiting class might not quite be rated among the best in the country as it does not feature any Top 100 players, but it should be regarded as one of the deepest. The quintet of commits includes four Top 175 prospects and a high-ceiling project big that could develop into a star down the road. It is likely that at least three of these freshmen take the floor right away and they will need to quickly become acclimated with college ball and Butler’s system.

There might not be a ton of practice time available before the season due to the coronavirus, so this should be an immediate priority as soon as the newcomers arrive on campus (this includes a potential transfer addition or two).

When it comes to filling Butler’s biggest needs for this coming campaign, Scooby Johnson (No. 139 overall recruit) might be the most important name to know. A highly-versatile 6-foot-6 combo forward, many expect that Johnson could slide into the starting “3” spot from the opening tip of next season. He is the type of all-around piece that can be irreplaceable in a lineup as he scores at all three levels, defends multiple positions, and is an unselfish playmaker as well.

The future backcourt of the program is then comprised of Chuck Harris (No. 148) and Myles Tate (No. 177). Both are combo guards with the ability to either dictate the offense with their playmaking or lead the team in scoring on a given night. Harris is more of a downhill guard that does impressive work in the pick-and-roll while Tate is a three-level scorer with elite space-creating abilities. I expect both will see plenty of playing time from the opening tip of next season.

In the frontcourt, Jakobe Coles (No. 146) is a true power forward with an intriguing playing style. He is a ground-bound big that excels in his role. He can stretch the floor to 3-point range, operate out of the post, is an extremely impressive passer for the position, and holds his own defensively and on the glass. Myles Wilmoth (No. 308) then rounds out this class as a 6-foot-9 forward with a perimeter-oriented offensive game and blossoming rim-protecting abilities.

While many might be skeptical of betting on freshmen after the struggles of Khalif Battle during this past season, it is important to re-emphasize that Butler has five commits. It is pretty likely that at least one of them – 20% of the class – is a true impact player right away, if not more than one.