Ex-NCAA Tournament hero announces decision to enter transfer portal

Mar 18, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; San Diego State Aztecs player Lamont Butler at a press conference after defeating the Furman Paladins in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-USA TODAY Sports

Some 13 months after his run for the ages, one former March Madness hero may be moving on to a new school.

San Diego State guard Lamont Butler announced to social media on Wednesday night that he has decided to enter the transfer portal. Butler, who has one year of eligibility remaining, said that he plans to explore his opportunities but is also maintaining the option to return to SDSU.

Here is Butler’s full post.

Butler was the hero for San Diego State during their Cinderella run to the national championship game in the 2022-23 season. He was massive with a game-high 18 points in a 57-56 rock fight victory over Creighton in the Elite Eight that year. Butler then outdid himself in the Final Four against FAU, hitting an iconic shot at the buzzer to send the Aztecs to the title game .

The 21-year-old Butler nearly left for the NBA Draft after those March Madness heroics but ultimately withdrew his name to return to SDSU for another year. He wasn’t bad either, improving on his numbers by averaging 9.3 points per game in 2023-24 to go along with his usual stout defense. But with San Diego State bowing out in the Sweet Sixteen this season (and fellow senior Micah Parrish recently transferring from SDSU to Ohio State), Butler has decided to take a look at what else is out there as well.

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