When Mark Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff landed Lamont Butler in the transfer portal, Big Blue Nation was fired up to be getting an elite defender, floor general, and leader. Little did Kentucky fans know Butler was going to come to Lexington and start putting up big scoring numbers.

In his time at San Diego State, Butler never averaged more than ten points in a season, yet this year playing in the SEC, Butler is currently averaging 13.6 points per game. The veteran guard is also averaging career-high numbers in field goal percentage (52.4%), three-point percentage (39.6%), assists (4.9 per game), and steals (1.8 per game).

These numbers have earned Butler the honor of being a Midseason Second Team All-American by Sporting News.

There are many reasons why the Kentucky Wildcats have had an incredible start to the season, but Butler is without question one of them. To make a run in March, teams need a veteran guard who can score and distribute the ball, so having Butler playing the best basketball of his career will help in March.

It is excellent to see Butler get some national love, as he has had an incredible season for Coach Pope, but not a lot of people are talking about his play.

SEC play will make it a big challenge, but if Butler is able to keep these numbers up or improve on them, he will also be an All-American when the season comes to an end. In just a few short months, Butler has become a fan favorite in Lexington.