Recruiting Report: Jaylen Butz (2017)

<p>Since recovering from a collapsed lung, Jaylen Butz has come back to prove he belongs with the best on the basketball court. His return has also shown his skills can take his career to the next level.</p><p>His athletic abilities have led Butz, the No. 16 prospect in the Prep Hoops Indiana Top 100, to interest from plenty of major programs.</p> <p>This past Saturday he was invited on an unofficial visit to Hoosier Hysteria at Indiana, and that was a week after he took an unofficial visit to Michigan State. Butz also has interest from Purdue and hears often from Clemson. This adds to the two official offers he has from Kent State and Ball State.</p> <p>With all this interest and still plenty of time to make a choice, Butz hasn’t set any timetable for making a decision.</p> <p>“I’m just taking visits and getting a feel for things,” Butz said. “I haven’t gotten too far yet and my weekends are busy, so I don’t take too many trips. Time will tell me where I really want to go.”</p> <p>Coaches are interested in Butz due to his athleticism and that he can play both inside and outside as a wing. The 6-foot-7 forward has the ability to hit a long jumper but also go into the box and grab the rebound.</p> <p>“The coaches tell me they like how I can get the ball off the rebound and can go with it, I don’t always have to pass to a guard, but can bring the ball up myself,” Butz said. “They like how physical I am down low given my size. There are guys bigger and more muscular, but I am physical down low and they like that and that I can defend the rim very well.”</p> <p>Butz will hope these skills are showcased with a Fort Wayne North Side team this winter that has the talent to compete for conference and sectional titles. He hopes to help lead them to that, too.</p> <p>“One of my main goals would just be being a leader with these guys and stepping up my role,” Butz said. “I just want to be a leader on and off the court.”</p>