imported>Smasongarrison: Copying from Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen to Category:21st-century American sportsmen Diffusing per WP:DIFFUSE and/or WP:ALLINCLUDED using Cat-a-lot

2025-03-31T00:36:38Z

Copying from Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen to Category:21st-century American sportsmen Diffusing per WP:DIFFUSE and/or WP:ALLINCLUDED using Cat-a-lot

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{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Lamar Butler
| image =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 170
| team = George Mason Patriots
| conference = [[Atlantic 10 Conference]]
| position = Player development
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|12|21}}
| birth_place = [[Fort Washington, Maryland]], U.S.
| high_school = [[Oxon Hill High School|Oxon Hill]] ([[Oxon Hill, Maryland]])
| college = [[George Mason Patriots men's basketball|George Mason]] (2001–2006)
| draft_year = 2006
| career_start = 2006
| career_end = 2010
| career_number =
| career_position = [[Point guard]] / [[shooting guard]]
| years1 = 2006–2007
| team1 = [[BK Prostějov]]
| years2 = 2007–2008
| team2 = [[Pertevniyal Istanbul]]
| years3 = 2008–2009
| team3 = [[Colorado 14ers]]
| years4 = 2009
| team4 = [[Reno Bighorns]]
| years5 = 2009–2010
| team5 = [[Tofaş S.K.]]
| highlights =
}}
'''Lamar Edward Butler Jr.''' (born December 21, 1983) is an American former [[basketball]] player and current basketball coach. He was a starting guard for the [[George Mason Patriots men's basketball|George Mason Patriots]] during their run to the [[2006 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2006 Final Four]]. Lamar is currently director of player development for his alma mater.

==College career==

During George Mason's captivating run through the NCAA tournament, Butler became a symbol of Cinderella and the tournament collectively with his tenacious heart and infectious smile and was featured on the cover of the March 27, 2006 edition of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine. Following GMU's stunning 86–84 overtime victory against the top-seeded [[University of Connecticut|UConn Huskies]] in the Washington D.C. Regional Final, Butler was named the region's [[Most Valuable Player]]. He scored 13 points against [[Michigan State University|Michigan State]] in the first round, 18 points against [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|North Carolina]] in the second round, 14 points against [[Wichita State University|Wichita State]] in the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship#Regional semifinals and finals|Sweet Sixteen]], and 19 points against UConn in the [[Elite Eight]].

After the regional final, Butler and his father were in tears as they hugged at length on the court. It hearkened memories of Butler's recruiting by GMU, during which he brashly predicted to Coach [[Jim Larranaga]] that he would lead the Patriots to the Final Four.

"I think I was joking when I said that," Butler said. "I started dreaming when I got to college. It shows you anything can happen."

Butler and the Patriots then headed to Indianapolis, where they faced the [[Florida Gators]], led by Minnesota Regional MVP [[Joakim Noah]]. To the dismay of many across the country rooting for the team leading one of the greatest [[Cinderella (sports)|Cinderella stories]] in sports history, George Mason was defeated by Florida in the Final Four 73–58 on Saturday, April 1, 2006. In his final game as an NCAA athlete, Butler played 36 minutes where he scored 8 points (4 of 7 FGs, 0 of 2 3PTs) had 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He will remain etched in NCAA basketball lore for the role he played in George Mason's run.

He averaged 12.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game during the 2005–2006 season.

==Professional career==

Since graduating, Butler was offered to join the summer league for the [[Washington Wizards]] only to have the deal revoked. In 2007, he played with [[BK Prostejov]] in the [[Czech Republic]] for $8,000 a month.<ref>[https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=jo-georgemasonpagetwo032807&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Part Two: Lamar Butler – NCAA Basketball – Yahoo! Sports]</ref>

During the 2008–09 season, Lamar played 23 games for the [[NBA Development League]]'s [[Colorado 14ers]] where he averaged 15 minutes, 6 points and 2 assists per game.

On March 5, 2009, he was waived by Colorado and a few days later picked up by the [[Reno Bighorns]].<ref>{{cite news | title= Bighorns acquire former George Mason standout | date= March 11, 2009 | publisher= The Reno Gazette Journal | url= http://www.rgj.com/article/20090311/NEWS18/90311018/1018/SPORTS}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[George Mason Patriots men's basketball]]
*[[2005-06 George Mason Patriots men's basketball season]]
*[[2004-05 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060411040244/http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/butler_lamar00.html Official Mason bio]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070106211848/http://www.masonunltd.com/video/lamar_butler_1.html Video Interview with Mason UnLtd on Sept. 5, 2006]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311172505/http://www.masonunltd.com/video/lamar_butler_fan_message.html A Video Message from Lamar Butler to all the fans]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070307093719/http://dynamic.si.cnn.com/si_online/covers/issues/2006/0327.html March 27, 2006 Sports Illustrated]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Lamar}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Prince George's County, Maryland]]
[[Category:Colorado 14ers players]]
[[Category:George Mason Patriots men's basketball players]]
[[Category:High school basketball coaches in Virginia]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Fort Washington, Maryland]]
[[Category:Point guards]]
[[Category:Reno Bighorns players]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Tofaş S.K. players]]

Lamar Butler - Revision history

imported>Smasongarrison: Copying from Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen to Category:21st-century American sportsmen Diffusing per WP:DIFFUSE and/or WP:ALLINCLUDED using Cat-a-lot