ESPN: 2023 NCAA Tournament Hero Lamont Butler Transferring to….

In the final years of former coach John Calipari’s tenure, Kentucky sorely lacked players who could knock down big shots in program-defining moments. A year ago, former San Diego State guard Lamont Butler hit one of the biggest college basketball shots of the decade.

Butler will play for the WIldcats in 2025, according to a Friday afternoon report from Kentucky radio host Matt Jones. The Moreno Valley, Calif. native was the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

He is best known for knocking down a buzzer-beating jumper in the 2023 men’s Final Four to beat Florida Atlantic 72-71—sending the Aztecs to their first national championship.

Butler leaves San Diego State 12th on the Mountain West’s all-time steals leaderboard after a four-year career. In addition to his ’24 accolades, he made all-conference, All-Region and All-NCAA Tournament teams in ’23.

Kentucky hired coach Mark Pope away from BYU on April 12 to replace Calipari, who left for Arkansas on April 10.