SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State men's basketball coach Dana Ford has announced the receipt of a commitment from 6-foot-4 shooting guard Darnell Butler Jr., from Seminole (Oka.) State College.
 
Originally from Lafayette, Ind., Butler was also a standout at McCutcheon High School there and spent his first year of college basketball at MSU-West Plains.
 
"We are very excited about Darnell being our first signee at Missouri State," said Ford. "On the floor, he is a multi-dimensional player who can knock down shots and score it in bunches. Off the floor, he is a high-character kid who will bring a lot to our MSU family and the community."
 
Butler was a two-time NJCAA Region II player of the week (Nov. 20 and Jan. 15) this season and also garnered First-Team All-Region 2 and All-OCAC honors after averaging a team-high 19.2 points per game for coach Don Tuley's Trojans.
 
He also averaged 5.5 rebounds and connected on 80-of-178 (.449) shots from 3-point range in 2017-18. Butler was an 81.8 percent free throw shooter and also averaged 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while starting 25 of 26 games.
 
As a freshman at West Plains, Butler was third on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game and started seven of his 18 appearances. He was 39-of-90 (.433) from long range and snagged 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game for the Grizzlies.
 
He was released from his previous NLI commitment to Florida Atlantic due to a coaching change there and has agreed to a financial aid agreement at MSU after being admitted for the 2018-19 school year.
 
Butler joins previous Bears' commitment Kabir Mohammed (F, 6-5, 225, Jr., Lagos, Nigeria, Fort Washington (Md.) National Christian Academy, San Jacinto College), who signed a National Letter of Intent with the Bears during the early signing period in November.