Wesley Butler on a path to ‘great things’ at Kutztown University
When he walked off the court at Keystone Arena following the final game of his freshman season Wesley Butler felt a deep sense of disappointment.
You’d have to dig pretty deep to find something wrong with a season in which Butler led his team in scoring and shooting percentage, earned second-team all-conference honors and was named Kutztown University’s male Freshman of the Year (for all sports).
Butler didn’t have to look far: The stat sheet showed him missing 12-of-13 shots in that 2019-20 finale against Shippensburg and his team missing the Pennsylvania Conference playoffs. That was enough to muddy the waters.
“I was upset, having a bad shooting night,” said the 20-year-old Reading High grad as he prepares for the start of his junior season, which tips Friday at 3 against Lincoln at Keystone Arena. “If we would’ve won that game, or either of our last two games, we would’ve made the playoffs. Ending the season like that, you’re upset.”
Butler didn’t have many nights like that, for sure. He came off the bench in the season-opener, hit 7-of-10 3-pointers and scored a team-high 23 points in a win over Lincoln. He shared the team scoring lead in the Golden Bears’ second game, too.
“It shows you how smart I was, I didn’t start him the first (two) games,” jokes Kutztown coach Bernie Driscoll, who had Butler in the lineup the rest of the way.
College freshmen generally face a steep learning curve: in the classroom, socially, emotionally and on the court. Butler hit that curve out of the park. He made the Dean’s List and was named a PSAC Scholar-Athlete, did public speaking engagements on campus and knocked down 41 percent of his 3-pointers.
“You usually don’t have a freshman come in and score 500 points, at any level,” Driscoll said. “There’s gotta be a transition.”
Butler’s transition was from point guard to shooting guard and it happened overnight. He expected to play the point as the season tipped but Driscoll needed a shooter and Butler became that. He averaged 18.2 points and finished fourth in the PSAC in 3-point shooting percentage.
“That’s what they needed at the time,” said Butler, “someone to come in and shoot; that was my role and I stuck with that the whole season.”
Wesley is just a one-of-a-kind young man. He wants to make a difference. He’s trying to affect change. You just know he’s going to do great things. — Kutztown University coach Bernie Driscoll
Once he viewed his rookie season from afar, and not after a couple off nights, Butler was pleased, and proud.
“That (last game) doesn’t reflect my season,” he said. “Other than not making the playoffs, I enjoyed that season. You come in as a freshman, (coming) off the bench, trying to find your role. Once I found out that I could shoot the 3 the most (of anyone), at a high success rate, that became my role. That led me to starting and having high-scoring games. Not many freshmen can find their role their freshmen year. I was blessed to able to do that.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Butler found success in college. He left Reading High as one of its greatest guards, and winners. He was the starting point on the Red Knights’ 2017 PIAA championship, the lone sophomore in the starting lineup alongside Lonnie Walker IV and the other seniors.
With Walker gone, Butler led the Red Knights to a District 3 championship as a junior and to his third straight Berks title as a senior. He was a two-time Berks Player of the Year and an All-State pick.
Like players all across the PSAC Butler has been aching to get back on the court. The 2020-21 season was canceled a few weeks into practice last November.
He found life without basketball practices and games to be quite “boring.” He continued to work out and focused on improving his mid-range game, to compliment his ability to shoot from beyond the arc and take the ball to the wrack. Driscoll believes that will make a him a complete player and all the more difficult to stop.
The coronavirus shutdown led Butler to further explore a avenues outside of school and sports. George Floyd’s death in 2020 and the spark it gave to the social justice movement inspired him to become politically active. He ran for City Council and unseated longtime incumbent Strat Marmarou for the District 4 spot in the Democratic primary election. He ran unopposed earlier this month in the general election. He’ll be sworn into office in January, perhaps the youngest councilman in city history.
Driscoll cast his vote for Butler during the summer by naming him one of two captains. Driscoll is in his 21st season as Golden Bears’ head coach. He’s never picked a second-year player for that honor.
“I have to be more vocal, hold guys accountable,” Butler said of his expanded role. “I have to be the guy that the team needs me to be: Hit 3’s, play defense and most importantly be a vocal leader.”
“Wesley is just a one-of-a-kind young man,” said Driscoll, who calls Butler “Governor” because of his political ambitions, and because of Driscoll’s belief he can make big things happen. “He is kind, considerate, empathetic; besides basketball, he’s just a wonderful person.
“He wants to make a difference. So many people complain (about things); this young man just went and did it. He’s trying to affect change. You just know he’s going to do great things.”
