Tough Juice is fighting hard to get Washington back to the playoffs.
With a depleted squad, things looked bleak for the Washington Wizards early this season. Simply put, times were tough, but Caron Butler was tougher.
When the Wizards needed it most, Caron Butler, aka “Tough Juice”, stepped up and is now playing the best basketball of his career. Averaging almost 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists a game, he has been carrying the Wizards team this season. And haunted by the memory of missing out on last season’s playoffs due to a broken hand, he is driven to get the Wizards back to the playoffs.
But to find out what really drives Butler, you have to go back to his hometown of Racine, WI. Growing up, Caron’s rough-and-tumble childhood led to brushes with the law. He was as far away from NBA superstardom as possible, but he decided to turn it all around. Going through the hard times convinced him that he was tough enough to make it.
“That’s when I started getting a love for the game, thinking you know, I can do this,” said Butler. “When I got out, I saw some of the top players in the country and I was like, they’re soft.”
Coach Calhoun, recognizing his talent and toughness, recruited him to UCONN. Butler was an immediate success leading the team in scoring as a freshman and learning more than just basketball with the Huskies.
“Being at UCONN, with Coach Calhoun, it taught me the true meaning of being a professional, of knowing how to carry yourself. Not only as a player but as a person. It meant a lot,” said Caron Butler.
Caron continued to play well his second season and was named the co-conference player of the year his sophomore season. It was obvious he was ready for the NBA. Miami took Butler in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft, and just like at UCONN, he contributed right away, leading the team in points and minutes played.
Caron’s toughness continued to be displayed in Miami and Los Angeles, and now it has come to its full fruition in Washington. In 2007, his second season in Washington, Butler played well enough to garner his first All-Star appearance. On a team with plenty of firepower, he was still able to put up 21 points and grab eight rebounds a night.
And he just keeps getting better. Third in the league in steals this season and scoring a career-high 39 points against Charlotte on November 21st, he has being doing everything he can to get team a chance at the championship title.
“I have to play basketball every day … touch a ball or watch film of older games or something. I have to do it. It’s just a passion. It’s a love.” says Butler.
Even with a depleted squad, Tough Juice’s passion for the game means Washington will always have a fighting chance.
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