Former George Mason University men's basketball standout Lamar Butler ('06) was named the program's director of player development in April 2023.
Butler teamed with head coach Tony Skinn ('06) to form one of the most formidable backcourts in George Mason history. A native of Oxon Hill, Md., Butler was named the NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player during Mason's run to the Final Four in 2006. A 2005 All-CAA selection, he is the Patriots' all-time leader in 3-pointers made.
Over the past decade, Butler has honed his coaching craft with some of the most prominent high school and AAU programs in the nation. He has established himself as one of the top talent developers in the basketball-rich DMV.
"As my former teammate and former roommate, Lamar has played an important role in my life and is a huge piece of why I'm here," Skinn said. "As a coach, he's worked tirelessly alongside Glenn Farello at Paul VI and found success at one of the top high school programs in the country. He's extremely well connected in the DMV and can bring such important insight within our staff."
As director of player development, Butler will work closely with the Patriot roster to hone on-court skill and help the players navigate the day-to-day obligations and responsibilities of being an Atlantic 10 men's basketball student-athlete.
"Lamar embodies what it means to be a student-athlete at George Mason," Skinn said. "He knows the school and he knows the community so well. He can sell our story and show why this place is so special. He has a PhD in basketball and is as knowledgeable as you can get about all facets of the game. That will be so beneficial for our players."
Butler has served as an assistant coach at Paul VI since 2018, where he's mentored some of the nation's top talent. That group of elite players includes Trevor Keels (Duke/New York Knicks), Jeremy Roach (Duke), Deshawn-Harris Smith (Maryland) and Dug McDaniel (Michigan). A perennial top-25 national program, Butler and the Panthers captured three-straight VISAA state titles and the 2022 WCAC crown.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to be back at Mason once again with Tony," Butler said. "I'm ready to get started to help build the vision he has for the program. This experience will be special for me and I can't wait to get started."
In addition to his work at the high school level, Butler also worked for five seasons with the DC Thunder & Team Takeover 16U on the AAU circuit. During that stretch, Butler mentored a bevy of future high major players, including Armando Bacot (North Carolina), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), Justin Moore (Villanova), Casey Morsell (NC State) and Anthony Cowan (Maryland).
He began his coaching career at St. John's High School in DC, where he served as an assistant coach for three seasons from 2014-17 and won a WCAC title with the Cadets.
Butler put together one of the most prolific playing careers in George Mason history. In addition to his school-record 295 3-pointers made, he ranks sixth all time in 3pt FG percentage (.392) and 15th in scoring with 1,488 career points.
During the Patriots' run to the Final Four, Butler averaged 14.4 points over the team's five games while shooting 55.8 percent from the floor (24-43) and 45.8 percent from 3pt range (.11-24). That included 19 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 3pt FG) in the Elite Eight triumph over top-ranked Connecticut.
Butler also guided the Patriots to two victories in the 2004 NIT and was named the 2002 CAA Rookie of the Year during his decorated collegiate career.
After graduating from George Mason with a degree in communications and a minor in business. Butler played five seasons of professional basketball, including stints in Turkey, the Czech Republic and the NBA G League.
