Caron Butler

Caron Butler plays basketball with an edge. He trains mercilessly, studies intently, and plays tenaciously. A winning mindset accompanies his competitive drive, and he approaches every situation with a positive attitude. He is receptive to his coaches and to his teammates, he is reliable on and off the court, and he constantly thinks about what he can do to benefit the team and his community. Butler defends the basket with ferocity and challenges anyone who stands in his way. 

This commitment to aggressive yet passionate play led former coach Eddie Jordan to give Butler the nickname “Tuff Juice.” It is this style of play that has solidified Butler as one of the most prominent forwards in the game today. Though Butler now finds himself as an NBA league veteran, the road to becoming a successful basketball player was not an easy one for him. He came from a troubled background, growing up on the streets of Racine, Wisconsin. 

He was a standout basketball player at Racine Park High School, but playing professional basketball and getting out of Racine did not even seem within the realm of possibility, especially considering the propensity he had for running into trouble with the law. However, Butler credits his trouble-ridden past for providing him with the motivation he needed to transform his life. He says one of the most defining moments was watching his mother’s eyes as he rode away in the back of a squad car, the last of fifteen times before he turned 15. 

After seeing her pain, he knew he had to change. With a renewed enthusiasm and hunger for success, Butler moved to Maine to attend Maine Central Institute. During his years there, Butler polished his game and earned a scholarship to play for Coach Jim Calhoun at the legendary Big East powerhouse, the University of Connecticut. Before he even started a game for the Huskies, Butler demonstrated his competitive spirit as he worked out and lost 15 pounds off of his six foot seven-inch frame in order to improve his agility. 

He showed up to camp ready to compete, and compete he did. As a freshman, Butler led the entire team in scoring and rebounding with 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The summer between his freshman and sophomore year at UConn, Butler helped lead the United States to a gold medal in one of the most prestigious international basketball tournaments, the 2001 FIBA World Championship for Young Men. He returned to UConn with an even greater competitive edge. 

Averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, Butler led UConn to an outright Big East Championship in 2002. He was named Co-Big East Player of the Year and made Second-Team, All-American. His leadership and dominant play also helped the Huskies advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. In 2016, the UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball team inducted Caron into the “Huskies of Honor,” where he became the 24th member.

Following a strong sophomore year at UConn, Butler declared for the 2002 NBA Draft. He was a lottery pick in the draft, selected tenth overall by the Miami Heat. During his rookie season, he caught the attention of the entire league. He averaged 15.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, which helped him earn Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors four times. As only the sixth player in league history to receive the honor four times or more, Butler joins the company of players such as Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan. 

By the end of the season, Butler led the Heat in points (1,201), steals (134), minutes played (2,528), field goals made (429), field goals attempted (1,032), free throws made (309), and free throws attempted (375). He also held a team record of 65 games with double-figure scoring. The league took note of his outstanding rookie campaign as he finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year balloting.

Butler expected to build off of his tremendous rookie season, but he was forced to sit out of several games in the 2003-2004 Season due to injuries. He still managed to score double figures 33 times and led the Heat to a playoff appearance. Starting only thirteen games for the Heat, he averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.15 steals per game. He also grabbed the attention of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Butler became a crucial part of the blockbuster deal that moved Shaquille O’Neal from the West to the East. On July 14, 2004, Butler was traded along with Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and two draft picks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Shaq. During Butler’s first stint in Los Angeles, he started 77 games and averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. 

His game caught fire in the latter half of the 2004-2005 Season as he upped his average to 21.9 points per game in the final 12 games of the season. He ended up among the league’s best again, ranking 40th in overall scoring, 23rd in steals, and 17th in free throws. Before the start of the 2005-2006 Season, Butler was traded along with Chucky Atkins to the Washington Wizards for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit.