Missouri power forward Jordan Butler enters NCAA Transfer Portal
Missouri power forward Jared Butler entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Friday evening, On3’s Jamie Shaw reported. The seven-footer played in 30 games and started in 13 of those for the Tigers this year.
As a high school prospect, Butler played five years with Christ Church Episcopal School with his father coaching the team. He helped guide the Cavaliers to two state championships in 2021 and 2023. Posting dominant numbers, Butler stuffed the stat sheet with 21.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 1.2 assists during his senior year. Among other honors, he was named Class A State Player of the Year honors.
According to the On3 Industry Rankings in the 2023 cycle, Butler was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 93 overall player in America. He was also ranked as the No. 12 center in America.
When Butler chose Missouri, he chose them over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Wake Forest, and Florida State, where his brother played. His mother played college basketball for South Carolina.
His brother, John Butler, Jr. is currently a member of the Washington Wizards. In 2021-2022, John Butler, Jr. averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for FSU.
Missouri head coach Dennis Gates has been busy reeling in new prospects for next year’s roster for the Tigers. He landed one of the more high-profile commitments in the portal from former Duke power forward Mark Mitchell. The former five-star prospect was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school in the 2022 cycle, like so many other Duke players. In that game, Mitchell poured in 19 points, tying as the game’s leading scorer.
He averaged over 27 minutes per game the past two seasons for the Blue Devils, stuffing the stat sheet with 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game this year. In the postseason, he had his best game in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament vs. the Vermont Catamounts, scoring 15 points and grabbing five rebounds. One of his best games in the regular season came against Notre Dame, when he pumped in 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 67-59 win.
Gates also reeled in two point guards for Missouri this offseason: former Iowa standout Tony Perkins and Marques Warrick from Northern Kentucky.