Jimmy Butler: A Miami Heat leader ; misunderstood by the Timberwolves, Bulls & Sixers?

Drafted by Bulls with the 30th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, Jimmy Buckets is a 5x NBA All-Star and was the Most Improved Player in 2015. Butler is seemingly attracted to controversy. 

Wherever he goes his larger than life personality is polarizing, and he’s unapologetic about his upfront attitude and friction he may cause wherever he goes. 

During his time in Philadelphia it was reported that he’d aggressively challenged Sixers coach Brett Brown about his role in the offense.

“​Damn right I’m confrontational,” Butler said in an interview weeks after his challenge on Brown. “I am confrontational.”

It obviously didn’t go down well with the Sixers as he was traded to Chicago soon after. Butler isn’t willing to reveal exactly what went wrong in Philadelphia.

“Stuff just don’t work out. Nobody knows what really went on in Philly and we’re going to leave it that way”.

While at the Bulls, he and fellow teammate Dwyane Wade openly criticized teammates to the media following a loss to Atlanta in early 2017. “We don’t play hard enough,” Butler said. “This is your job. I want to play with guys who care.”

Butler can be full on and it’s likely because he hates losing. While at Minnesota, Butler shared his desire to win, “I just don’t think there have been many people that have understood how important winning is to me, man.’’ 

“You (bleeping) need me. You can’t win without me.” 

Things blew up while at the Timberwolves. He made it known he was fed up with the attitudes of his teammates, especially Karl-Anthony Towns, and he wanted out.

He launched a tirade at the GM of all people, turning to Scott Layden during a training session and screaming, “You (bleeping) need me. You can’t win without me.” 

Butler was so infuriated and discontent in Minnesota but he had his reasons. After demanding a trade months earlier, the Wolves and Miami were so far advanced in negotiations to the point where medical information was exchanged. 

Although an outspoken personality to say the least, media reports on him seem to lack context. Details are seemingly overlooked as to why he may be accosting teammates.

Butler attributes the cultural environment he was around during his time at the Bulls for fostering his outspoken personality as a young player. 

Playing around the likes of Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Derrick Rose and Loul Deng, Butler would watching them swear at each other in practice when a mistake was made, a behavior he’s modeled during his career.

“I don’t like the phrase ‘face of the franchise.’ I just want to be a part of it. I think we have a really good team”.

Despite his rocky relationship with Minnesota, Butler was key in propelling the Timberwolves to their first playoff appearance in 14 years. The Timberwolves and Bulls have both been irrelevant since Butler left them both.

He’s also the same man who’s father abandoned his family when he was an infant and his mother kicked him out the home at 13 because she ‘didn’t like the look of him’. 

After six-seasons in Chicago, 17-months in Minnesota and 67-games in Philly, he’s finally found a home and helped transform Miami into genuine contenders. A team where it’s culture matches his own commitment. 

Butler isn’t the type to take all the credit and he’s a genuine team player. Back in Chicago he was asked how he felt about making it through the trade deadline as the face of the franchise. 

“I don’t like the phrase ‘face of the franchise.’ I just want to be a part of it. I think we have a really good team”, Butler replied.

Say what you want about Jimmy Buckets, but the effort that he plays with every time he touches the floor is remarkable. In his quest to win, he’ll do whatever it takes to push himself.

If you’re not on board with him, you’ll definitely hear about it, as well as everybody else in the world. 

Shout out to all of those at #sportstalk. Originally posted at Wolf Gang Sports. I curate sports content on basketball, soccer, American football and more. Avid collector of sports jerseys, trading cards and streetwear paying homage to special moments in sports history. 

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