Butler Basketball: Setting 2020 offseason priorities for the Dawgs

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, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 05: Golden of the Bulldogs passes. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

4. The whole has to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Butler will not have a true star on its roster in 2020-21. That is just the truth. Even if the Dawgs are able to secure a high-level transfer over the next couple of months, it is unlikely that that player will truly be a top-tier performer in the Big East. While it is possible that a returner takes a big leap or a freshman immediately dominates from the opening tip, it is expected that Butler will be without a true star. With that said, though, there is still potential for this team to be quite successful.

Butler’s three returning starters are right at the core of this optimism as they all represent excellent leaders on the court. Aaron Thompson, most notably, has been heralded as an extension of the coaching staff over the last few seasons and he truly leads by example, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Additionally, the frontcourt duo of Bryce Nze and Bryce Golden exude unselfishness and consistently stay true to the idea of “excelling in their roles”.

The key for Butler during this coming season will be to embrace the mantra that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This team will boast a degree of experience with (at least) three upperclassmen starters and a bunch of unproven but talented newcomers. If everyone buys into the system and works as a unit, there is enough talent to be successful.

With Thompson and Nze leading the way, the Dawgs already have a pair of hard-nosed defenders capable of teaching the youngsters the ropes. It might take some time for the freshmen to get acclimated with playing at the collegiate level, but you can be sure that those two seniors will be putting in the work in practice and pushing the others to do the same.

Without a go-to iso-scorer like Kamar Baldwin, it might also be reasonable to suggest that Butler’s offense will move with more fluidity in 2020-21. There shouldn’t be any possessions of just watching someone play one-on-one and the offense could function more like a well-oiled machine. Thompson will command the ball as the team’s lead playmaker and he could potentially lead the Big East in assists if the coaching staff is able to secure an immediately-eligible shooter via the transfer route (and/or if Tucker returns).