Riverside Academy welcomed home its famous son, Jared Butler, April 29 with a pep rally to honor the Baylor star and to retire his number. Jared graduated from Riverside in 2018. Earlier this month he was named the MVP of the NCAA basketball championship game after scoring 22 points to lead Baylor an 86-70 win over Gonzaga for the national title. He is the Big 12 Player of the Year and a Consensus All-America.

But on Thursday he was just Jared, shaking hands, signing autographs and posing for photos with former teachers, administrators, fans and elementary students who probably had no idea who he was.

During a ceremony attended by St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard and Sheriff Mike Tregre, longtime basketball coach Timmy Byrd presented Jared with a framed No. 11 jersey, which has now been retired.

“It was always my dream to have my number retired, to be up on that wall,” Butler said. “Now one one can ever wear No. 11 anymore.”

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