University of Connecticut Athletics
Butler Selected by Miami With 10th Pick
6/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
STORRS, CONNECTICUT (June 26, 2002)-- University of Connecticut sophomore forward Caron Butler (Racine, WI) was selected with the 10th pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat Wednesday night at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
Butler will receive a three-year, $4.51 million contract with the Heat. He is the seventh Husky under head coach Jim Calhoun to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft and fourth UConn lottery selection
"This is a great moment in my basketball career and especially in my life, for my children, my fiancee, my mother, my grandmother, my whole family," Butler said.
"We are absolutely, without a doubt, unadulteratedly excited," Miami head coach Pat Riley said following the first lottery selection of his 20-year career. "We never ever thought he would be there."
Caron was a consensus All-American pick as a sophomore and was the Co-Player of the Year in the BIG EAST Conference. He was the Most Outstanding Player in the BIG EAST Tournament and earned a spot on the NCAA East Region All-Tournament team. He led the Huskies to a BIG EAST Regular Season title and the BIG EAST Tournament title. The Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual national champion Maryland.
Butler played in 63 games in two seasons at UConn and averaged 18.0 points per game along with 7.6 rebounds. He averaged 26.5 points per game for the Huskies in the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
"I think he has learned some great life lessons in the last six or seven years," Riley said. "We have a player who simply wants it and is ready to play."
The Heat, who went 36-46 last season to keep Riley out of the playoffs for the first time, need a rookie who can help right away. At age 22, Butler may be better groomed to contribute quickly than almost any other player in the draft.
"I’m going to bring a lot of leadership, maturity and flashy basketball," Butler said. "I’m going to bring a lot of Ws, baby."
A slashing, versatile forward, Butler averaged 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds as a sophomore last season for the Huskies. He was at his best in big games and has drawn comparisons to Paul Pierce, who happened to be drafted with the 10th pick by Boston in 1998.
"Three years from now, people will be talking about this kid slipping to 10 the same way they talked about Paul Pierce," TNT commentator Charles Barkley said.
"God works in mysterious ways, and this is a great situation for me," Butler said.
