Mark Pope is after a Lamont Butler-Esque player in the transfer portal
Mark Pope is going to have to replace a lot of great players from the Wildcats 2024-25 roster, but one player that will be the toughest to replace is Lamont Butler.
Butler was one of the best on-ball defenders in all of college basketball and had the best offensive season of his career this year in Lexington.
One player that Kentucky’s staff has met with in the transfer portal is former Georgia Bulldog Silas Demary Jr. and he is just about as close to Butler as Kentucky will get in the portal.
Demary Jr. is a bit better offensively than Butler, but on the defensive side of the floor, Butler has an edge.
When the Georgia Bulldogs blew out the Kentucky Wildcats this season, Demary Jr. had 14 points. This season, Demary Jr. averaged 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 37.4% from three.
Demary Jr. was one of the primary ball handlers for the Georgia Bulldogs, but in all honesty, he is more of a two-guard at 6’5. It’s excellent that Demary Jr. is able to play the one and run an offense at the point.
It really seems like Coach Pope wants Demary Jr. badly, so Big Blue Nation needs to keep this name in mind over the next few days/weeks.
There will never be another Butler, but when it comes to a healthy mix of offense and defense, Demary Jr. would be a perfect addition for the Wildcats.
