Missouri basketball: How four-star prospect Jordan Butler can help the Tigers next season
Missouri basketball was often lacking in the post throughout the 2022-23 season, routinely getting outrebounded by its opponents. Head coach Dennis Gates knew it, and the Tigers managed to have a successful year anyway, getting the extra possessions in other ways on the defensive end.
Still, the problem was one that needed fixing, and Gates went looking for recruits to do just that. He landed Jordan Butler, a seven-footer from Greenville, South Carolina, who put pen to paper with Missouri during the early signing period.
"His skill set is a perfect fit for our system as he has the ability to pass and make decisions, play on the perimeter, stretch the floor beyond the arc and also dominate in the pinch post area,” Gates said of Butler in a news release upon his signing. “During the recruiting process, we identified size as a target area and Jordan is one of the most skilled versatile forwards in the country. He has a tremendous pedigree and comes from a basketball family who fits with well within our culture. We look forward to working with Jordan and him being a part of the Missouri program as his future is very bright."
Butler, a four-star prospect, was a big recruiting win in the SEC for Gates, as his other two finalists were South Carolina and Auburn.
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How Jordan Butler can help Missouri basketball
The obvious thing Butler provides to the Tigers is height. If he can contribute immediately, it would be a major help for a team that relied heavily on Kobe Brown and later Mohamed Diarra last season.
Brown has declared for the NBA Draft (but could still return) and Diarra is transferring to NC State. Gates mentioned his desire to add “the right size” meaning players who could help on the boards while continuing to fit within the Tigers’ style of forcing turnovers and making three-pointers on offense.
Butler averaged 9.8 rebounds per game last season according to Maxpreps. However, he’s not just a force down low, and scored 21.8 points per game, while making 52% of his attempts from the field and 39% from three-point range.
“Jordan Butler has size for his position,” Gates said. “He’s not going to stop us from not shooting three-pointers. I expect him to be prepared to shoot the ball from behind the arc.”
On Wednesday, during the Kansas City-area stop of MU's Come Home Tour, Gates was asked by a fan what the Tigers plan to do in the post next season. He pointed to Butler.
"We have a seven foot two freshman coming in named Jordan Butler," Gates said, suggesting Butler has grown recently. "As you think about the portal, let's think about the high school kids. Jordan Butler is seven foot two and can shoot threes."
When he signed with Missouri in November, his high school coach cited his other offensive abilities as major perks for the Tigers.
"Jordan is a special player who has both skill and size," head coach John Butler of Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville said in a news release. "He uses his unique ability to create major matchup problems. Many people think shooting is his best attribute but it is actually being a great teammate. He really cares about the well-being of his brothers and teammates. This team-first mentality lifts everyone that plays with him."
Butler can also help the Tigers on defense. Last season’s Missouri squad struggled mightily to get stops, notably against Princeton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The incoming freshman can be a rim protector for Missouri, a player MU sorely needs, averaging 3.4 blocks per game last season and 3.8 in 2021-22. He also grabbed nearly one steal per game for Christ Church Episcopal each of those seasons and had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio every season in high school, one of Gates’ favorite stats.
By all outward appearances, Gates and company will continue to try and find an experienced big man in the transfer portal, which closes on May 11. Even if all else fails though, Butler could help assuage some of the problems that last season’s Missouri team dealt with due to a lack of length.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri basketball: How Jordan Butler can help next season
