Pelicans select Baylor star Butler at No. 40, reportedly for Jazz
With the No. 40 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans have selected Baylor guard Jared Butler.
However, Butler is headed to the Utah Jazz due to a previously reported deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Butler is making the jump to the next level after displaying consistent growth across his three collegiate seasons. His Baylor tenure culminated in him being named NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player as part of the school's first-ever men's tournament championship.
That individual distinction capped an impressive junior season for Butler, who averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 47% from the field. The 20-year-old received clearance by the NBA's fitness-to-play panel to participate in pre-draft combines despite a heart condition that was revealed in 2018.
Bio
Position: PG/SG
School: Baylor
College experience: Junior
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 193 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-4
Max vertical: N/A
Strengths
- Physically robust with an NBA-ready frame
- Combo guard capable of playing off the ball or as a playmaker
- Effective scorer off the dribble
- Proficient floor-spacer who shot 43% from behind the arc
- Strong decision-making and leadership skills
Weaknesses
- Can be careless on the ball; averaged three turnovers per game in his junior year
- Lacks an explosive first step
- Not a true point guard, but too undersized to play the 2