A Few Minutes With Lee Butler
Jan. 24, 2006
Q: What is it like walking on to an ACC team?
<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
A: First of all, it’s not easy. It’s tough because there are a lot of people that want to play ACC basketball. Getting past the tryout stage is pretty difficult and getting acclimated to the workload is completely different than high school. You really have to be committed.
Q: Why did you decide to attend <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami and take a stab at playing here?
A: I received an academic scholarship to Miami and that’s what brought me to the school initially. No matter what school I went to, I wanted to play basketball, so wherever I went I was going to try and walk on. Fortunately, the right situation came along. Coach Haith and his staff came in, gave me the opportunity, and it’s gone well.
Q: What else attracted to you to Miami?
A: Well, I always knew that I wanted to go to school in the south because a lot of my family is originally from North Carolina, so you know that whole southern hospitality thing. So I knew that I wanted to attend a school in the south so when I was in high school I saw college as a vacation because they those are the last four years before you really have to enter the real world. So I thought, `what city in the south would I want to go to?’ I’ve been to Atlanta. Miami? I have never been to Miami, so I researched the school, I liked the school and that’s pretty much how I got here.
Q: What do you think of the immense amount of diversity in Miami?
A: It’s so much more different here than where I grew up and I didn’t expect that. But, honestly, that’s been one of the true blessings of coming here because I’ve gotten to learn so much about other cultures. Miami’s diversity is one reason I really love it here and it is one of the reasons I would tell somebody to come here. You can learn so much about other people and teach other people about your culture.
Q: You won a regional baseball championship in high school back home in Woodbridge, VA. What position did you play?
A: I was a center fielder and lead off hitter…a speed guy.
Q: Did you ever consider playing baseball instead of basketball?
A: Since I played with and against a lot of good baseball players there were a lot of scouts at our games. One guy actually told me that playing baseball might be my best route. They’re always looking to develop speed but baseball was never really an option. I enjoyed it in high school, took it to a state semi-final and had a great time but I just didn’t want to pursue it anymore after high school.
Q: What overlapping similarity between the two sports is most glaring?
A: I would say for me speed is the same because out here I am just a smaller guy that tries to create havoc, put pressure on the basketball, push the ball and get the tempo moving faster. In baseball it was kind of the same. As a leadoff hitter you try to get on base and then use your speed to put pressure on the defense.
Q: Have you read “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis being someone that played baseball and aspires to be an NBA front office executive?
A: No, actually I haven’t but I read Sports Business Journal and the newspaper all the time. Jon Stratton and the guys give me slack all the time because I am always reading the sports page. I always have a newspaper open.
Q: Why do you want to be an NBA general manager?
A: Sports is my passion and that’s what I’ve been doing since I was five years old. My father was a country kid, played baseball and had an opportunity to try out with the Pirates. Sports have always been a big part of my family and that’s where I want to stay.
Q: What about the sports industry appeals to you most?
A: Honestly, I would say competition. From day one sports teaches you how to compete and business is the same way. I enjoy the competition, being able to go out and prove yourself every day.
Q: Do you have a dream job?
A: I don’t know if there’s one specific organization. My dream job might just be working in the NBA front office. But I’d be blessed if it’s any sport or professional franchise as long as it’s something that I loved and something that I look forward to doing every morning.
Q: Is there anymore school in your future plans after you get your bachelor’s in business?
A: Potentially graduate school, but that’s not my number one priority. Obviously, my number one choice would be to find an internship or job working in sports business. But if nothing comes out of that grad school is a possibility. Maybe a Master’s in Business Administration and Management or possibly Sports Administration.
Q: What’s it like having a brother that plays major college football at PennState?
A: It’s great. And the funny thing is we always joke with our dad telling him that he must have been a real good athlete if both his sons are Division I athletes. For us to have enough of his athleticism to share, he must have been pretty good.
Q: Can you keep him under control now that he averages nearly 20 yards per catch and led the team in touchdown receptions and receiving yards?
A: He’s like a rock star. He just took off this year and I’m so proud of him. Growing up he was always in my shadow back home. And he would always say, `I’m tired of being Lee’s brother. One day you’re going to be Deon’s brother.’ You know, that day is pretty much here. He’s a great brother and right now he’s one of the big guys up there.
Q: PennState is playing FloridaState in the Orange Bowl this year, how exciting is it to get to see him mid-year?
A: Absolutely. I saw him when we went to play Temple in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago, but other than that we don’t see each other much during the year. He doesn’t even come home in the summer time, he stays up there throughout the summer. I haven’t seen him play since he was in 10th grade and was playing JV football. This will be my first time getting to see him play in-person.
Q: It’s been reported that you guys talk a minimum of one time per day, do you have a good long distance plan?
A: We have a family plan. Usually, it’s a short conversation because we are both so busy, about 10-20 minutes. We’re just trying to keep in touch with each other and support each other. And it’s not all sports either; we like to talk about other things to kind of get our minds away from that.
Q: Both of you wear No. 3, is that a coincidence?
A: It is definitely not a coincidence. That’s us showing our unity. And for me it’s a tribute to my hero Allen Iverson. I always call him Virginia’s finest and I think he’s motivated me and my brother. He’s a small guy that came from a tough situation–and he was an underdog coming out of Hampton and Newport News, Virginia. It’s our way of paying tribute to him and at the same time honor each other.
