Butler racking up commitments
Words. Jason Jordan
Andy Smeathers
Butler coach Brad Stevens is capitalizing off of the fame and exposure his Bulldogs received after a spirited run to the national title game in April.
Last weekend, Greenwood Center Grove (Ind.) rising senior forward Andrew Smeathers picked Butler over William & Mary, Miami-Ohio, Indiana State and Purdue. A few days before that, the Bulldogs got a commitment from Australian point guard Jackson Aldridge, who many regard as a steal.
Aldridge, a rising senior who attends the Australian Institute of Sport, recently helped is country win the gold medal and was selected Most Outstanding Point Guard of a 16-team international tournament at Manheim, Germany. There he averaged 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
“Butler is obviously a great program, but the main reason I chose Butler was that the school, players and coaching staff continually push for excellence,” Aldridge told the Indianapolis Star. “They have developed an amazing culture at the school and I wanted to be a part of that.”
The Bulldogs picked up a commitment from O’Fallon High (Ill.) swingman Roosevelt Jones, a rising senior, in April. A few months later, Pendleton Heights High (Ind.) shooting guard Kellen Dunham, a rising junior, committed to the Bulldogs.
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