While Jimmy Butler has played for the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and Minnesota Timberwolves, his tenure with the Miami Heat has become the most memorable. He has led an under-manned squad to two NBA Finals appearances through his superb two-way play. However, there was a time when he despised the very thought of donning a Heat jersey.
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In a 2013 fashion interview, when asked about the jersey he’d never wear, a 23-year-old Butler responded with ‘Miami Heat’. At that time, he was with the Chicago Bulls and they were arch-rivals with the Heat, the then-best team in the league, thanks to the trio of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh.
Interestingly, Butler would become teammates with Wade on the Chicago Bulls for the 2016-17 season. But more ironically, he joined the Miami Heat before the 2019-2020 season. Last year, Butler explained to Mallika Andrews why he dissed his present franchise in 2013.
As an up-and-coming player for the Bulls, he resented the Heat as they were their biggest roadblock in the postseason. Thus, he had to avoid developing any affinity towards Wade despite having gone to the same alma mater, Marquette.
Since Wade and Butler played both the guard positions, there was no way he could entertain friendly thoughts about his rival. Butler told Andrews,
“When I’m coming into the league, the Heat used to beat the Bulls all the time when they had the Big 3, the Heatles, whatever you want to call them. So me getting drafted to the Bulls, we can’t like the Miami Heat. You can’t like D-Wade even though you went to the same school.”
Apart from that, his then-Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau played a vital role in advancing animosity toward the core of LBJ, Wade, and Bosh. But when he became Wade’s teammate, he realized that the guard is an amicable personality. So, there was no point in harboring any ill-will towards him anymore;
“Then you fast forward and I’m playing with D-Wade with the Bulls, I’m like, ‘This guy is not a bad guy.’ It was just [Thibodeau] that kept hitting me upside my head. And now, full circle, it’ll be the last jersey that I wear.”
Butler’s earlier disdain towards the Heat trio was understandable. The Bulls lacked both the experience and depth to keep up with the loaded Heat team. This left the Chicago-based team frustrated on multiple occasions.
The Heat defeated the Bulls in five games during the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals. Then during the 2013 playoffs, they once again made light work of them in five games.
However, currently, Jimmy Butler is a cornerstone for the Heat. While the relationship between GM Pat Riley and Butler may have deteriorated a bit, he will still be the leader of the team when the 2024-25 season begins. If things go smoothly, there is still a chance that Butler will retire as a Miami Heat player.
