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OKLAHOMA CITY, Ok, — ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Jared Butler signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Buter, a Riverside graduate from Reserve, played for three seasons at Baylor before being drafted 40th overall by the Jazz in 2021.

While playing for Baylor, Butler was the leading scorer for his 2021 NCAA Championship team.

The Riverside Academy family and St. John Parish dignitaries cheered Butler during a ceremony that honored his achievements in the 2021 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.

Butler led Baylor University to its first national championship title with a dominating 86-70 win over Gonzaga.

He made St. John the Baptist Parish proud when he was named Most Outstanding Player for the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Less than one month before the championship, Butler made headlines when he was named the Associated Press’ Big 12 Player of the Year.

During a 2021 interview with L’OBSERVATEUR, Rebels basketball coach Timmy Byrd said there is a lot the public doesn’t know about Jared Butler, such as the fact that he graduated from Riverside Academy in 2018 with 27 college credits already under his belt.

That head start allowed him to graduate from Baylor one year early, just in time to prepare for the NBA Draft.

Byrd added Butler is the only NCAA athlete in the country to earn a spot on the NCAA Oversight Committee.

While playing college basketball for the No. 1 team in the country, Butler still found team to teach second grade Sunday school.

Butler’s No. 11 Riverside Academy jersey was officially retired.

-Brooke R. Cantrelle contributed to this report.