Rasual Butler raring for NBA comeback
During the recent US summer training of the San Beda Red Lions at the Impact Training facility in Los Angeles, I chanced upon former NBA campaigner Rasual Butler. The 2013 NBA Developmental League Impact Player of the Year was training in the same facility under renowned hoops trainer Joe Abunassar, who also supervises the Lions’ training camp.
“I’m hoping to make a comeback in the NBA, that’s why I’m here working hard to be prepared,” said the 33-year old shooting guard who played 10 seasons in the NBA. “My training is going very well. Joe and Gio are doing a great job making sure I’m working hard on things that will make me a better basketball player.”
In 2002, Butler was picked by the Miami Heat in the second round. He suited up for the Heat from 2002 to 2004 before he was traded to New Orleans. He played four years with the Hornets where he posted decent norms of 8.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. But it was in the Los Angeles Clippers that he shone brightest in his career during the 2009 season. Butler saw action for about 33 minutes and accounted for a career best 11.9 markers per game. His shooting clips are remarkable as well – 40.9% 2-Pt. Field goal, 33.6% 3-Pt. Field goal, and 84.1% from the stripe.
From LA, Butler played a season each for the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors but was waived by the latter in March of 2012.
The 2008 La Salle University Hall of Athletes inductee joined the Tulsa 66ers, an affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the NBA D-League early this year and was voted Impact Player of the Year. At La Salle, Butler became the Explorers’ fourth leading scorer of all time with a total of 2,125 points.
Rasual appeared in Trina's "Here We Go" music video, and good friend Lamar Odom's TV show "Khloe and Lamar."
Now, the 6’7” gunner is gunning to make a strong comeback in the NBA this season. “God-willing I will be playing in the NBA again, or in Europe soon. But I’m confident of my ability to play at the highest level.”
The Philadelphia native is a regular client at Abunassar’s Impact basketball training camp. He works six times a week for two months to prepare for the NBA camps. Butler admitted that the lack of motivation has kept him out of the NBA last year. Now he hopes to rekindle the fire he once had and barge into the basketball limelight again.
Butler was impressed with the dedication and effort of the Red Lions in training. The defending NCAA champions worked twice a day and even played some tune-up games in the evenings. “They work really hard. For them to work out twice a day and play at night is really impressive. They come here everyday and you can see they wanna be here. They wanna get better. I can see why they are so successful,” said Butler.
Butler has also heard about how huge the sport of basketball is in the Philippines, and how well versed Filipinos are with the NBA. “I hope the sport continues to grow in the Philippines. I appreciate the support of Filipino fans.”
Perhaps a tour of duty in the PBA is not a remote possibility.
