Healthy, banged-up or flat-out injured, Lamont Butler was going to put his heart and soul on the line for the Kentucky Wildcats during his time on the floor. He wasn’t the flashiest player in the world, but you better believe he prioritized winning over everything else — you don’t hit a game-winning buzzer-beater in the Final Four if that’s not in your DNA.
That’s what made the start of the season so jarring to begin Mark Pope‘s second year in Lexington. That passion was missing, as was the togetherness that entire debut roster played with.