REPORTS: Butz enters transfer portal
Published 4:04 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2022
- Western Kentucky redshirt senior forward Jaylen Butz shoots a layup in the Hilltoppers' 105-35 win against the Rhodes College Lynx, the largest margin of victory against a college team in the program's 103-year history, at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. The Hilltoppers improve to 4-3 and are scheduled to host Eastern Kentucky Saturday at 6 p.m. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky forward Jaylen Butz has entered the transfer portal, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
The Verbal Commits Twitter account was the first to report Butz’s entrance to the portal.
The 6-foot-9, 230-pound redshirt senior forward was in his first year at WKU in the 2021-22 season after transferring from DePaul, but in his final season of eligibility. He didn’t play during the 2020-21 season while at DePaul and entered the transfer portal in January of that season. He’d need a waiver for an additional year.
Butz started the Hilltoppers’ first four games but saw his minutes decrease as the season progressed. He averaged 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.8 minutes over 18 games last season. WKU finished 19-13 and fell to Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA Tournament quarterfinals.
Butz spent three seasons with DePaul, where he played in 89 games with 47 career starts. As a junior in 2019-20, he started all 31 games for the Blue Demons, averaging 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds. He ranks third in DePaul history with a 58.9% field-goal percentage (257 of 436). Butz is the only player in program history with at least three games of at least five field goals without a missed shot, accomplishing the feat five times.
The Fort Wayne, Ind., native was a three-star prospect and an Indiana All-Star out of North Side High School, where he led his team to its first state title game appearance since 1965. He was the 2017 Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Player of the Year after averaging 17.3 points and 12.6 rebounds as a senior.
Butz is the fourth WKU player to enter the transfer portal since the conclusion of the season. Forwards Isaiah Cozart and Bailey Conrad and guard Sherman Brashear have also entered.
