“It’s feeling better. It’s feeling better” said Lamont Butler in a recent press conference. As the Kentucky Wildcats look to begin their March Madness run a few hours from now, concerns continue to be raised about the 22-year-old’s health. After all, the player dealt with ankle and shoulder injuries throughout the recent season. The issues were particularly in the spotlight after Butler injured his shoulder in mid-January and missed six games over two stretches. In light of this, Butler’s recent remarks about his health help to raise some assurance. What doesn’t, however, is the player’s recent training footage.
Earlier today, Tristan Pharis reported that Lamont Butler was back in the strapped shoulder brace today during practice. The same reportedly limited his range of motion with his left arm. The practice session took place only a week after Butler was captured wearing the brace on the right shoulder during a game against Oklahoma. Even as Butler told people during the recent press conference that “it’s feeling better”, it does not feel “better” enough to allow the player to participate in the upcoming game with his full potential.
One thing to note is that Lamont Butler was back in the strapped shoulder brace today in practice, which limited his range of motion with his left arm.
The brace on the right is what he wore against Oklahoma last week. pic.twitter.com/ZZuGVlW0NV
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) March 21, 2025
The six games missed in mid-January due to the shoulder injury wasn’t the only setback Lamont Butler unintentionally delivered to his team. The player suffered a separate injury in the same shoulder during Kentucky’s win over Oklahoma in the second round of the SEC Tournament. Butler sat out the quarterfinal loss to Alabama.
However, Mark Pope later said that if Kentucky had advanced to the next round, Butler may have been able to play in Nashville. This raised hope that things would be good for the player during March Madness. Sure enough, on Selection Sunday, Pope confirmed that Butler would be good to go for the NCAA Tournament. Now, the same remains Questionable.
Butler’s absence would leave Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats in a bit of a hole. After all, the team already has 2 players listed as ‘OUT’ for the upcoming game. Jaxon Robinson was reported to undergo surgery on his wrist. The same will cause him to miss the entirety of Kentucky’s March Madness run. As for Kerr Krissa, Kentucky has not had him since the team’s 90-89 overtime win over Gonzaga on December 7th. The fifth-year guard had broken his foot and undergone surgery. As a result, even he will miss March Madness.
It will certainly be hard for the Kentucky Wildcats to secure a win without having someone of Lamont Butler’s caliber.
Why is Lamont Butler essential for the upcoming Kentucky Wildcats-Troy Trojans game?
The Kentucky Wildcats have not gone beyond the NCAA Tournament’s first weekend since a 2019 regional final appearance. This time, however, Lamont Butler knew that the presence of other young stars could change things. After all, all 12 of Kentucky’s scholarship players are newcomers. On top of that, there are things he can do on a personal level too.
According to reports, the Troy Trojans boast a strong perimeter attack and disciplined defense. Their lower seed should not fool anyone, as the Trojans have shown the ability to compete with high-level opponents. The Wildcats had reportedly struggled on both ends of the court, unable to maintain consistency and efficiency in their offensive sets in Butler’s absence. Therefore, the player will anyway be needed to lead the team.
On top of that, the 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists he averaged during the 2024-25 season stand as the main reason why the Wildcats need someone like him on the floor. Even despite his injury woes, Butler played some of his best basketball in March. He was a starter in 10 of the previous 11 NCAA Tournament games, and posted double-figure scores in four of them. Given his 3.9-7.9 (49.2%) average field goals, the team needs its own perimeter attacking to combat that of their rival team’s.
Good to see PG Lamont Butler out on the floor! pic.twitter.com/oILeb5GLXQ
— Mario A Maitland (@MarioMaitland_3) March 20, 2025
Another reason for Lamont Butler’s need during the upcoming game lies in his experience. As highlighted by UK Athletics themselves, the player has, by far, the most postseason experience on the UK roster. He has played in 11 NCAA Tournament games, including the 2023 title game.
He scored 18 points in a win over 6-seed Creighton in 2023. Butler recorded 15 points, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds in a win over 12-seed UAB in 2024. Then, against 13-seed Furman in 2023, his stat line was 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. The load of experience he carries of going up against renowned teams makes him someone who can deal with another different team like Troy. The Kentucky Wildcats or the Troy Trojans? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming game? Let us know in the comments section down below.
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