The Butler basketball program has experienced quite the roster makeover since Thad Matta returned to the program three years ago for his second stint as head coach.
Matta has mostly rebuilt the program through the transfer portal, targeting experienced players with multiple years of eligibility remaining like Jahmyl Telfort, Pierre Brooks II, Landon Moore and Andre Screen. With new players coming in, former players had to depart.
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A majority of the players who left Butler were recruited former by coach LaVall Jordan. Matta has dealt with a few transfers as well, but how are the players who left Butler doing at their new schools?
Posh Alexander, Dayton
Alexander is no stranger to new programs. The fifth-year guard arrived at Butler after three seasons at St. John’s. Alexander is part of an illustrious group featuring Allen Iverson and Patrick Ewing as the only players to win Big East Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Freshman of the Year in the same season.
Alexander had a solid season at Butler, taking over as starting point guard and averaging 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He’s undersized at 6-foot, but the Brooklyn native is a tenacious defender and better at attacking the rim than his size would belie.
Alexander left Butler after one season, but he hasn’t carved out a featured role at his new school. Alexander is averaging career lows across the board. He’s started just one out of 12 games, and he’s shooting just 18% from 3.
Khalif Battle, Gonzaga
Yes, the Khalif Battle who played at Butler during the 2019-20 season is still playing college basketball. The 6-5 guard from New Jersey has experienced a winding but successful career since leaving the Bulldogs.
He started breaking out as a sophomore at Temple, recording three double-doubles in 11 games. He received a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending injury to his left foot (fractured fifth metatarsal) against La Salle seven games into his junior season. Battle averaged 17.9 points per game the following season as redshirt junior at Temple.
Battle transferred to Arkansas for his redshirt senior season, starting 13 of 32 games, averaging 14.8 points per while shooting 35% from 3. For his final year of eligibility, Battle transferred to Gonzaga and is enjoying another strong season. He’s started all 14 games for the No. 15 Bulldogs, averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He’s shooting 91% from the free throw line and 33% from 3.
JaKobe Coles, Grand Canyon
Coles played just six games during his lone season at Butler, but he’s found success at multiple levels of college basketball since leaving. In three seasons at TCU, Coles worked his way from an eight-minute per game bit player, to a 20-minute per game key role player. In his final season with the Horned Frogs, Coles started 11 of 31 games, averaging 10.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, shooting 42.2% from 3.
The fifth-year senior transferred to Grand Canyon this season and is enjoying a breakout campaign. The 6-8 forward is averaging 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
DJ Davis, Washington
Davis and Alexander are the only players on this list recruited to Butler by Matta. Davis started all 33 games for Butler last season and quickly established himself as the best shooter on the team, averaging 13.5 points per game while shooting 35.1% from 3 and an NCAA-best 95% from the free throw.
After the season, Davis departed Butler for Washington. Through 12 games, Davis has struggled to regain the form he showed with the Bulldogs. Davis is averaging 6.6 points per game, shooting just 81% from the free throw line and a career-low 27.3% from 3.
Chuck Harris, SMU
Harris established himself as a fan favorite after leading Butler in scoring as a freshman, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 40.1% from 3. That would be the high mark of his time with Butler, as his scoring decreased each of the next two seasons.
The Virginia native has had a solid career since transferring to SMU. He started all 32 games last season, averaging a career-high 13.4 points per game. Harris is playing as a sixth-man this season, averaging 12.2 points, 1.9 assists and 2.3 in 21 minutes per game off the bench.
D.J. Hughes, East Tennessee State
The former Lawrence North star played limited minutes as an undersized center for two seasons at Butler.
A change of scenery to a lower level of competition seemed like a good fit for Hughes, but he’s continued to be a bit player for the Buccaneers. He played sparingly during his first season with ETSU. As a senior, he’s averaging a career-high 12 minutes per game, producing 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 points per.
Simas Lukosius, Cincinnati
Lukosius had a strong sophomore season with Butler and appeared primed for a breakout after improving his numbers across the board and showing great potential as a playmaking wing.
Butler fans never got to witness the breakout, however, as Lukosius transferred to Cincinnati for his junior campaign. After a solid junior year, the breakout season appears to finally be here. In 12 games, Lukosius is averaging a career-high 14 points per game, with 2.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds. He’s shooting a career-best 41.2% from 3 and has helped the Bearcats reach No. 17 in the nation.
Myles Tate, Appalachian State
Tate came to Butler after a decorated prep career, winning four straight 5A state championships in South Carolina. Tate started 18 games as a freshman, but injuries slowed his Bulldogs career. He averaged just 7.7 minutes per game as a junior before transferring out of the program after the season.
Tate returned to the Carolinas, transferring to mid-major Appalachian State. The 6-foot guard served as a sixth man during his first season with the Mountaineers. The fifth-year senior is having the best season of his career so far, averaging 14 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game as a starter for App State. He’s scored 20-plus points four times in 12 games and is shooting a career-best 42.1% from 3.
Jayden Taylor, NC State
Indianapolis native and former Perry Meridian star worked his way into the starting lineup as a freshman for Butler. The 6-4 guard had a breakout sophomore season, averaging 12.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Taylor established himself as a confident scorer, a tough-shot maker and a capable defender. He hit six 3-pointers in a win over Georgetown and had a three-game stretch in February with 20-plus point performances.
The strong Year 2 made him a hot commodity in the transfer portal. Taylor chose NC State over Arkansas. Taylor became a key role player on a Wolfpack team that made a Cinderella run through the NCAA tournament as an No. 11 seed. Taylor scored 11 points in a 63-50 loss to Purdue in the Final Four.
As a senior, Taylor has established himself as a starter. He’s averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 32% from 3 and 73% from the free throw line.
Pierce Thomas, UIndy
Thomas, a former Brownsburg star, may be the best athlete on this list, and his high-flying ability dropped jaws during his time at Butler. Thomas’ athleticism made him a lob threat in transition and no alley-oop seemed too high for him to slam home.
At 6-5, Thomas is a bit of a tweener. Undersized for the frontcourt but lacking the playmaking ability of a lead guard. Thomas served in a reserve role as a redshirt freshman at Butler, before transferring to Eastern Kentucky. Thomas played in just 11 games for the Colonels before returning to the Hoosier State and transferring to UIndy.
Thomas played in six with the Greyhounds (all starts) averaging 7.8 points and four rebounds per game. He’ll miss the rest of his redshirt junior season with an injury.
Connor Turnbull, Evansville
Turnbull, like Pierce Thomas, is another former Butler player who tantalized fans with his athletic ability in limited playing time with the Bulldogs. At 6-10, 225 pounds, Turnbull played an undersized but hybrid center/forward for the Bulldogs.
He was too quick for frontcourt players on the perimeter but struggled to guard Big East bigs in the paint, despite strong shot-blocking ability. His six blocks against ESTU are one short of Butler’s single game record.
Despite the flashes of potential, Turnbull never carved out a consistent role with Butler. His sophomore season ended after nine games due to injury and he transferred to Evansville after the season.
Turnbull is working to find his footing with the Purple Aces. He’s started the past three games for Evansville, averaging two points and two rebounds per game. For the season, Turnbull is averaging 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 31.6% from 3.
Myles Wilmoth, Siena
Wilmoth has battled injuries throughout his career, but he’s finding a role at mid-major Siena in former Syracuse star Gerry McNamara’s first season as head coach with the Saints.
Wilmoth averaged 1.7 points and 2.6 rebounds as a freshman with Butler. His role decreased each of the next two seasons, and his junior season ended after 13 games due to injury. He transferred to Hofstra after the season, but he did not play while recovering from surgery.
Wilmoth is in fifth year of college basketball with one year of eligibility remaining. He’s pursuing an MBA at Siena and is playing the most minutes of his career since his freshman season with the Bulldogs. Through 13 games, Wilmoth is averaging 3.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How former Butler basketball players, transfers are doing in new homes
