Don't Write Butler Off...

As all of you (hopefully) know, the Butler Bulldogs of Indiana made a heroic run in the NCAA Tournament, barely losing to Duke in the finals by a score of 61-59.  Within a few weeks, Butler had become the darling of basketball fans everywhere and it seemed as if the entire country was rooting for them to beat the Blue Devils.  With the likelihood of star forward Gordon Hayward entering the NBA Draft, it would seem unlikely that the Bulldogs will be able to consistently repeat their late tournament success, right?

Wrong.  Although the Bulldogs are from the unheralded Horizon League Conference, they are becoming a mid major dynasty similar to Gonzaga and Memphis.  Coach Brad Stevens has said time and time again that he will stay at Butler, which is a great sign for the team's future.  The newfound popularity of school should also help Stevens recruit better players.  Stevens has already started to reap the benefits of his team's success, landing 3-star forward Khyle Marshall (Scout Article about Commitment).  Marshall is a very versatile player who can play multiple positions and is also a very good shooter.  Butler has also received commitments from 2-star prospects Erik Fromm and Chrishawn Hopkins.  While their star ratings may look unimpressive at first glance, one thing is for sure: if Brad Stevens recruited them, they can definitely play.

Even with the likely departure of Hayward and key role player Willie Veasley graduating, Butler will still be a talented team.  Sophomore Shelvin Mack demonstrated he could play at a high major level throughout the tournament and will be expected to carry even more of the offensive load next year.  Junior Matt Howard, who won Horizon League Player of the Year as a Sophomore, will be the Bulldogs key big man and will also be expected to play the way he did 2 years ago.

While the Butler Bulldogs might not be as dominant next year, they are definitely in place to be one of the top 2 or 3 mid major teams in the country as long as Brad Stevens decides to stick around.  It will be interesting to see how much Stevens will be able to capitalize on his team's NCAA tournament run in terms of recruiting.  If Stevens plays his cards right, we might be witnessing the birth of a mid major dynasty.