TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama recently granted freshman point guard Jared Butler his release from the men’s basketball program, and the Reserve, La., native quickly signed with Baylor.

Butler committed to the Crimson Tide last fall and signed with the program in November, but he had not been participating in preseason drills since arriving on campus this summer. Alabama has not been able to comment on the release because of player privacy concerns.

Nonetheless, the departure is the fourth of the offseason for Alabama and brought the team’s number of scholarship players down to 13, which is the limit at the NCAA level. Butler was part of a signing class that included forward Javian Fleming and guard Diante Wood.

Earlier this month, though, former 247Sports 5-star point guard Kira Lewis committed to UA and reclassified to the 2018 class before moving in Sunday. Lewis’ reclassification helps alleviate Butler’s departure, as well as fill the void left by NBA lottery pick Collin Sexton.

“Our plays work better when we have more experienced players that know how to pass, dribble and shoot and that know how to overcome adversity and play unselfish and they’re coachable,” Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said last week. “But also our plays work better when we have an infusion of young talent that’s very gifted, that have gifts that you can’t teach.”

“This kid is fast. We’ve already had a fast kid leave here, and (Sexton)’s doing extremely well -- hopefully, he’ll buy me dinner the next time I see him. But this kid, he’s an upper-level-talented player.

“He’s a player that, based on the information we’ve received, was going to be a McDonald’s All-American this year because of how he was accelerating up the boards and how he finished off his AAU season this year. He’s a kid that’s gifted and quick and fast, can shoot it, willing passer. Just another upper-level-talented kid that we’ve been able to, fortunately, add to our program, and we’re very thankful and grateful that he was able to reclassify.”

Alabama's latest addition, Kira Lewis.

Lewis, a five-star prospect who was ranked as the No. 5 point guard and the No. 26 overall player by 247Sports, graduated early from Hazel Green (Ala.) High School. The Alabama 6A Player of the Year in 2018, Lewis finished the season averaging 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.9 steals to lead the Trojans to the state semifinals this past season.

Johnson said Lewis will report a day earlier than UA’s returning players and hopes the Huntsville, Ala., product can take part in on-court activities after Labor Day. Classes begin Wednesday.

But as the coach pointed out at The Crimson Standard announcement, Lewis and his fellow 2018 classmates are stepping into a now-experienced locker room. Even with Sexton leaving for the draft and transfers from Braxton Key and Ar'Mond Davis, Alabama welcomes back 69 percent of its scoring, 80 percent of its rebounds, 76 percent of its steals, 93 percent of its blocks and 74 percent of its 3-point shots from last year’s team that advanced in the NCAA Tournament.

For the 2018-19 season, Alabama’s roster looks like…

Seniors: Riley Norris, Donta Hall, Avery Johnson Jr.

Juniors: Dazon Ingram, Tevin Mack, Daniel Giddens

Sophomores: John Petty, Herbert Jones, Alex Reese, Galin Smith

Freshmen: Kira Lewis, Javian Fleming, Diante Wood

Norris, Hall, Ingram, Petty and Jones have starting experience, while Johnson Giddens, Reese and Smith have proven to be quality role players. The Tide also adds Mack as an option after a redshirt year in 2017-18 because of NCAA transfer rules. So, the freshman additions, especially one at a position of need like Lewis, should help Alabama hoops continue its progress.

“It just continues to add to what we’re doing, but just like I said prior to last year, it’s not just going to be about Kira Lewis, but the players that are returning,” Johnson said.

“We have four sophomores that played in the NCAA Tournament last year. We have Riley Norris that was a medical redshirt. Tevin Mack sat out. AJ Jr. is more experienced. Donta, Dazon and I can keep going on and on down the line. That’s what we saw in Villanova, a team that was experienced but also had that infusion of young talent.”

Alabama opens the 2018-19 season against Southern on Nov. 6 at Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide men’s basketball team will also play an exhibition game prior to the start of the regular season, but the opponent and date of that game are yet to be finalized.

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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