4-Star PG Prospect Jared Butler Commits to Alabama over UVA, Baylor

The Alabama Crimson Tide picked up a key addition for their 2018 recruiting class Monday with a commitment from combo guard Jared Butler.Butler announced his decision on Twitter:"I'm headed to the University of Alabama and I picked them because I talk to God a lot and my family a lot and we've spent months and days talking and it seemed like the best situation and the best people," he said of his decision, per Scout's Evan Daniels. "I love them a lot and they love me."Butler is a 4-star prospect who rates as the No. 89 overall recruit in the 2018 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also listed as the No. 15 point guard and the third-best player from the state of Louisiana.The Riverside Academy product is experienced running an offense, but he's also capable of playing off the ball and creating offense as a shooting guard. He's a bit undersized for the position at 6'2", though he's a rock-solid 180 pounds with the ability to add more weight to his frame.His most impressive trait at this stage of his development is the myriad ways he can generate open looks for both himself and his teammates. He attacks the rim, can distribute the ball out of traffic and has improved his jumper to stretch defenses.Eric Bossi of Rivals passed along comments from Butler about his playing style."I feel like I'm a scoring guard for sure," he said in May. "I'm a big guard but I can also facilitate. If I'm not the best scorer I'm going to make sure that the best scorer is getting the ball in his hands."He needs to work on his quickness and footwork, which will help make him a better on-ball defender, and he could still use a more consistent outside game to become a more lethal scoring weapon. But there's still a lot more upside than downside to this signing.Although it's going to take some time to see where Butler fits in with the Crimson Tide, his ideal role could be the first guard off the bench. He'll bring a lot of energy and serve as an offensive spark plug, which is exactly what head coach Avery Johnson could use in that spot.It would take a significant leap in his all-around ability for him to become a one-and-done asset, so Alabama should benefit from getting at least two years from him. The longer he stays, the better chance he has to max out his potential.
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