| Caron Butler |
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EARLY LIFE He grew up in Racine, Wisconsin where he suffered through a rough childhood as he was arrested 15 times before the age of 15. After a brief career at Washington Park High School , he enrolled at Maine Central Institute where he was successful enough to receive a scholarship to play at UConn for coach Jim Calhoun . COLLEGE CAREER Under Calhoun, Butler lost 15 pounds and developed his perimeter game. As a freshman, Caron led the Huskies, only two years removed from a National Championship, in both scoring and rebounding with 15.6 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game respectively {Link without Title} . The summer after his freshman season he started for the US team that took home gold in the 2001 FIBA of the NCAA basketball tournament. Despite 32 points from Butler, the Huskies lost a close game to eventual national champion Maryland Terrapins {Link without Title} . After the season Butler declared for the NBA draft. NBA CAREER He was a lottery pick in the 2002 NBA Draft , selected with the 10th overall pick to the Miami Heat . He is remembered for his comments on draft day after nine teams passed over him, saying that he was going to make them pay for the rest of his career. In his first season with the Heat, he averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds. During his second season his stats fell slightly to 9 points and 4 rebounds, with an injury-hampered effort all season. He played in only 68 games in his second year. In 2004 he almost made history with the Heat, coming 1 game from defeating the favored Indiana Pacers in the conference semi-finals. At the end of the season he was traded along with Lamar Odom and Brian Grant to the Lakers in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal . On December 22, Butler punched New Orleans Hornets point guard Dan Dickau in the stomach while they were on the ground. Butler was ejected and suspended on Christmas Day when the Lakers played his former team, the Heat . Caron Butler was traded along with Chucky Atkins to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit . Shortly before the 2005-06 Season opener, he inked a 5-year, $46 million dollar deal with the team. He became part of Washington's new "Big 3", previously made up of Gilbert Arenas , Antawn Jamison , and the now-departed Larry Hughes (now with the Cleveland Cavaliers ), who Butler replaced in the 2005-06 season. Butler was nicknamed "Tough Juice" by coach Eddie Jordan for his aggressive and passionate play,http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20060417-122458-4991r_page2.htm epitomized by Butler's 20 rebounds in Game 6 of the Cavaliers series. Butler is known offensively for his face up line drive jumper, as well as his athleticism and ability to finish around the rim. On January 17, 2007, Butler converted his first game-winning basket, a dunk following a pass from DeShawn Stevenson with 2.2 seconds remaining against the Knicks to give the Wizards a 99-98 win. Butler's dunk in final seconds lifts Wizards past Knicks Butler was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for January 15–21, 2007.http://www.nba.com/news/pow_070122.html Butler enjoyed his best season as a professional in 2007, with career-high averages of 21 pts, 8 rebs, and 4 assists per game. Caron Butler was named as a reserve to the 2007 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team, his first appearance. "2007 All-Star Reserves Announced" , NBA.com, 2 February 2007. He broke his hand late in the 2006-2007 season attempting to block a shot and was forced to sit out during the playoffs along with the injured Gilbert Arenas and watch as the Wizards were swept in the opening round by Cleveland. TRIVIA
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