Two Kentucky transfer portal additions pull names out of the NBA Draft

These two portal additions will play for Kentucky next season.

Mar 28, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Lamont Butler (5) shoots the ball against the Connecticut Huskies in the semifinals of the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports | Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Two players who committed to the Kentucky Wildcats in the transfer portal just pulled their names out of the NBA Draft. Both Amari Williams and Lamont Butler pulled their names out of the draft and will play for the Wildcats next season.

Butler is an elite defender at the guard position who will also bring some offense to this team. He has played a lot of good basketball for San Diego State and will have a great year in Lexington.

Coach Pope had this to say about what Butler brings to the table, “Lamont Butler is the definition of a winner. He might be the best perimeter defensive player in all of college basketball. Lamont has helped lead championship teams for the last four years and hit one of the most epic shots in the NCAA Tournament to send his team to the championship game. He is an elite student who takes his academics seriously. He cares about the community and will embrace the power of wearing ‘Kentucky’ across the front of his chest. I’m extremely excited to coach Lamont and to see the influence he’s going to have on this team.”

Williams is also an elite defender around the rim who will block a lot of shots with his long wing span. He will be able to score around the rim and will be one of the best rim protectors in the SEC.

Coach Pope had this to say about Williams, “At times, Amari Williams looks like a man among boys on the court. He is a three-time conference defensive player of the year, which is incredibly hard to do. He is bringing a big presence to the game and is going to serve as a rim-protector and rebounder. Amari is a gifted defensive player who can switch onto any position, one through five, which will add security to how everybody else feels on the court. Offensively, he is dangerous at the rim, and he’s one of the special passers in college basketball. Amari can make all of the reads, all of the passes, all of the plays and he fits into exactly what we want to do on either end of the court.”

Now Big Blue Nation will wait on the decision of Jaxson Robinson as he will likely be the last piece to this roster if he pulls out of the NBA Draft.