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Butler Basketball: Early preview of 2020-21 Bulldogs roster and rotation

By Drew Schmelzer

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 21: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs dribbles the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 21, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 21: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs dribbles the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 21, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 05: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 05: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

Guards for Butler Basketball

Aaron Thompson, SR – 7.2 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 4.7 Ast

If Thompson is not out there, I have concerns about Butler’s ability to bring the ball up the floor. Guard depth has been a problem for a couple of years for the Bulldogs and even though help is on the way this season (two top 150 freshman guards), thanks to Head Coach Lavall Jordan’s recruiting prowess, there will still be a ton on Thompson’s plate. There were some foul trouble issues in key spots last season due to his aggressive defensive style and that is going to need to be shored up as he is probably Butler’s most important player.

AT’s 32 minutes per game are going to need to increase a little bit purely for his ball-handling and distribution expertise. His jump shot has not improved in his three seasons, so I have no expectations that it will be much better in his senior campaign, but he makes up for it with his craftiness in the paint and with his blow by ability. His 47% field goal shooting is actually pretty good for a small point guard who can’t shoot.

Jair Bolden, SR – 8.5 Pts, 2.4 Reb, 1.4 Ast (at South Carolina)

Bolden was not one of the premier grad-transfers out there this season, but he is exactly what Butler needed. He shot 41% from behind the 3-point line in his lone season with the Gamecocks and that percentage was better than anyone on Butler’s team in 19-20 including the lethal Sean McDermott. Bolden is also a pretty good defender averaging almost two steals per 40 minutes which is obviously a priority for Lavall Jordan.

While I don’t expect Bolden to come in and score double digits, his ability to spread the floor with his shooting is going to open things up for this team. This will allow Thompson to continue to do what he does best as defenders won’t be able to help off Bolden to stop AT’s penetration and while Bolden is NOT Kamar Baldwin, he is a better shooter so that should be good for Butler’s efficiency shooting the three.

Chuck Harris, FR– Washington DC #149 recruit & Myles Tate, FR – Roebuck, SC #156 recruit

Lavall Jordan’s effort on the recruiting trail to find eventual replacements for Thompson and Baldwin paid off with the signing of the #25- and #26-point guards in the 2020 class. While it is interesting because they both play the point, the thought around campus is that Harris, as his career goes on, may shift to more of a 1-2 hybrid with his 6-2 185 lb build which almost mirrors Baldwin.

Both guys are going to get solid freshman minutes next season, but I see Harris pushing for a role as a starter. Tate is a true point guard who spurned South Carolina and Pitt to be a Bulldog and he will get his shot at running the offense when Thompson needs a breather.