By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

In early October of 2018, Devin Butts committed to play basketball at Mississippi State.

A month later, Stratford celebrated his signing with the SEC program.

Now, Stratford and the Central Georgia basketball community are mourning Butts’ death.

The 22 year old died Friday night after collapsing while playing basketball last Sunday in Durham, N.C., where he attended and played for North Carolina Central. He remained in a coma in a local hospital until his death Friday.

Butts was on track to graduate this summer with a degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Few outside of the team and family knew of Sunday’s collapse, and there were almost no media mentions, although there was a Reddit thread. Word started spreading more on Friday, and by Friday evening, Butts’ Instagram account began filling with condolences and expressions of shock at his death, reportedly a cardiac arrest-related issue.

North Carolina Central released the news of his death around 11:30 p.m. Friday.

“This is a devastating tragedy for our team, fans, and the entire NCCU community," said 14th year NCCU men's basketball head coach LeVelle Moton in a statement. "Devin will always be remembered as an incredible teammate that had an infectious smile at all times. Our heartfelt condolences are with his family and those who were blessed to know him."

His father Derex played at Texas Tech. The two were on the same AAU team in the offseason during Devin’s high school years, Derex as coach of Team Georgia Magic.

Butts earned GHSA All-State honors at Stratford, and was a three-star prospect, having passed the 1,000-point mark midway through his senior season. He set the program mark by averaging 28 points a game as a senior.

Former Stratford head boys basketball coach Sean Sweeney spent the week hoping and praying while communicating with N.C. Central basketball officials.

“Just devastating,” said Sweeney, now in the same role at Middleburg High near Jacksonville, Florida. “A great kid. People wanted him to leave and go different places, but he stayed, man. He was forever my guy for that.”

Butts was “a skinny 6-1 or 6-2” freshman, Sweeney said, not playing varsity when Sweeney succeeded Jamie Dickey as Stratford’s head boys basketball coach.

The height and activity soon changed.

“I opened up the gym three times a week at 6 o’clock in the morning, and he never missed,” Sweeney said. “He got better. He grew three inches, which helped. But if he didn’t work the way he did, growing three inches wouldn’t have made a difference.

“He was just ready to work. I’ve always told people about Devin. It doesn’t matter where you are as a freshman or sophomore ,just keep working. I’ve always used him as an example.”

The shooter and scorer signed with Mississippi State, and played in only six games in 2019-20 season because of injuries, including a lower leg issue, before and during the season.

Sweeney visited Butts that first summer at Mississippi State.

“The things I thought he might struggle with, he was like, diving on the floor for loose balls, taking charges,” said Sweeney, who exchanged texts regularly with Butts, the latest about two weeks ago. “It was awesome to watch.”

Butts moved to Louisiana-Lafayette, and was a key contributor a year later off of the bench, starting two of 24 games, nine of 17 games and hitting 36 percent of his 3-pointers, scoring in double figures five times.

He was suspended for two games that full season, and played at New Mexico Junior College in 2021-22, averaging a career-high 24.4 minutes, and 11.7 points.

Butts headed east to North Carolina Central of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and gave the Eagles 5.4 points in 17 games, playing against Virginia, App State, Liberty, Gardner-Webb, Marquette, and LSU, among others.

“I was at the (NCAA) Final Four, and saw some North Carolina Central coaches, and I texted Devin,” Sweeney said. “They had just started workouts again, and he was excited, working hard, said they were doing well.

“I still can’t believe it.”