Jared Butler scouting report: Could he go from the national champs to the Toronto Raptors?

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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – JANUARY 16: Guard Jared Butler #12 of the Baylor Bears (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Jared Butler scouting report: Strengths

Perimeter scoring

First and foremost, Butler is a tremendous shooter, making 47% of his shots overall and 41.6% of his 3-point attempts despite averaging over six attempts per contest. With a sweet stroke, the ability to hit contested shots, and a willingness to create his own shot, Butler profiles as an excellent offensive point guard at the next level.

While mostly a 3-point specialist early in his Bears career, Butler has gradually expanded his offensive game. That ability to score from anywhere on the court at an average or above-average clip will be his meal ticket in the pros, as the wide variety of tools in his bag is uncommon for a point guard his size.

Scoring off of the dribble

As evidenced in the Gonzaga beatdown, Butler charging to the basket with a head of steam might be even more dangerous than Butler handing around the 3-point line. Butler is not only a tremendous finisher at the rim, but he could easily stop his dribble and get space for himself in order to rise and fire.

Butler might defer to Mitchell at times, but Baylor was one of the most efficient and consistent offenses in the country, and they wouldn’t have reached that mark if Butler was relegated to just being a spot-up shooter. The physicality of the pros will challenge him at first, but Butler should be expected to score right out of the gate.

Rebounding and defense

In an age where point guards are being asked to rebound and defend on the perimeter more than ever, Butler excels in both those statistics. 3.3 rebounds might not seem like a lot, but for a 6-3 guard on a team with so many great rebounders on it already, that’s an encouraging number.

Make no mistake, he is one of the best defenders in this class at any position.

Butler was a two-time conference All-Defensive team selection, and he owes that to his athletic ability. While he’s able to hand with speedier guards, his frame is solid and well-built enough to withstand the physical punishment some bigger guards and wings can dish out. Even as a rookie, Butler will be an issue on that end.