Al Butler

NBA basketball player for the Boston Celtics

What is Al Butler known for?

Born in Birmingham, Alabama on July 9, 1938, Al Butler was a renowned American basketball player. He played for East High School in Rochester, New York, a significant landmark in his early career. His talent led him to be drafted in the second round as the 17th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1961 NBA draft.

Over the course of his NBA career from 1961 to 1970, Butler showed his skills as a point guard, contributing to several teams. After starting with the Boston Celtics in 1961, he moved on to the New York Knicks from 1961 to 1964, and later to the Baltimore Bullets from 1964 to 1965. His further professional journey included playing for the Trenton Colonials, Harrisburg Patriots, and ending with the Wilkes-Barre Barons from 1967 to 1970.

Butler's outstanding performance in the court is reflected in his NBA statistics, scoring 2,282 points with an average of 9.8 points per game. He also made 696 rebounds, averaging 3.0 rebounds per game, and 530 assists, averaging 2.3 assists per game. His career highlights also include being named to the First-team Parade All-American in 1957.

Following his basketball career, Butler had his jersey no. 4 retired by the Niagara Purple Eagles, a testament to his remarkable talent and influence. He unfortunately passed away on July 12, 2000, but his legacy continues. In honour of his contributions and his later work as a guidance counselor, a scholarship was established in his name at Monroe Community College.

For more detailed stats, you can visit his profiles on NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com.