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Spotlight: Niesha Butler,
College Basketball
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Posted: Friday March 05, 1999 12:38 PM
Opponents are having a tough time stopping Butler. |
Born: September 3, 1980, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Residence: Atlanta
Upcoming Event: ACC women's basketball tournament, February 26-March 1, 1999, Charlotte, N.C.
Worth Watching Because: The Georgia Tech freshman has the most impressive package of basketball skills east of Chamique Holdsclaw. Butler, a 5'8" guard from New York, has taken the ACC by storm, leading the league with 21.8 points per game in conference play. Her strengths are her quickness, ambidextrous ball-handling ability and a knack for getting the ball in the basket. She is, first and foremost, a scorer.
Butler made headlines off the court last spring when she questioned the women's professional basketball leagues' policy of not drafting underclassmen. However, following in the footsteps of two other stellar New York guards, Kenny Anderson and Stephon Marbury, she accepted a scholarship to Georgia Tech. Anderson and Marbury left school early to pursue pro careers. Of all the talented women's college players today, Butler could be the first one to test the WNBA's draft rules, as early as this spring.
Greatest Success: Butler established a new career high school scoring record for boys or girls in New York City during her junior season at Riverdale Country School, breaking the mark previously held by Anderson. Butler finished her five-year prep career with 3,127 points and per-game averages of 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
Quote/Unquote: "The way I look at it, it's not enough to be talented; you have to reach deep down within yourself and make that extra effort that will put you over the top."
Cool Fact: Butler has modeled for several magazines, including Seventeen.
Come back next Friday for a new Women's Sports Spotlight.
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