Mark Pope gives an encouraging update on Kentucky PG Lamont Butler

Kentucky had a lot of troubles on Tuesday in their blowout loss to Ole Miss. One player they are certainly missing is point guard Lamont Butler, who has been out with a shoulder injury for multiple weeks. Now losing four of their last 5 games, Kentucky will want Butler back as soon as possible. Butler would certainly help with their offensive pace and defensive intensity, which has lacked lately.

Mark Pope spoke with media ahead of their matchup against South Carolina in Rupp Arena on Saturday, where he talked more about Butler's recent progression. The point guard is starting no-contact drills in practice, inching his way back from recovery. Pope is making sure he doesn't add another setback to his injury, bringing him back along at a good pace. He's still not sure when exactly a return date could be.

"He's gonna move around on the court non-contact a little bit today, so we'll just see out it is tomorrow. I don't know when exactly that's gonna be, I really don't. ...It's a little bit the same frame of mind, I don't know if it's as accurate as it should be, but I'm a little the same frame of mind that I was with Andrew (Carr). I would like to get him back in a position where we have the best chance of not having another setback. Hoping that's where we are with (Andrew), where now he can just grow his way back into the game. I don't exactly know what that's gonna be. We're taking in the data every day as it comes. and making game-time decisions every day on what the next step is. But, he is gonna be on the court in a non-contact situation today, and we'll see how that feels."
Pope on Butler's progression.

Butler is so good of a facilitator, and his absence has forced others like Jaxson Robinson to switch over to his role, a committee-type operation at point guard. He is massively important to Kentucky's success. The Wildcats are looking to get back on the winning side without Butler on Saturday against South Carolina.