In sports, rookies and youngsters learn by imitating veterans. This often helps them surpass the achievements of the previous generation. However, it can sometimes lead to setting poor examples, especially if seasoned stars lose sight of the bigger picture. Dwyane Wade recently admitted being one such bad influence on Jimmy Butler during their short time together at the Chicago Bulls.
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On 7PM in Brooklyn, Wade took accountability for not living up to the tag of the veteran. He apologized to his then-teammates, particularly to Butler, before discussing the reason behind his shortcomings. Reminiscing about that period, the 42-year-old mentioned,
“I was the problem then… It was more like, ‘Coach, fly to Miami. What time practice gonna be?’. ‘When you want it?’. ‘Ah, this time’. We couldn’t do that in Miami. So I set a bad precedent. I apologize. Jimmy Butler was on that team, so he probably picked up some bad habits from me… I got one year to get out and stretch my arms… I was like, ‘I’m about to take advantage’. So, I wasn’t really a good vet to them guys”.
His words came to the limelight after the show’s co-host, Carmelo Anthony, discussed his approach with his then-rookies. Even though Melo mentioned never kicking the ball out of the court for the sake of it, he admitted using this underhanded tactic occasionally. Whenever a newcomer used to get ahead of themselves, the 40-year-old used to make them retrieve the ball to get them back in line.
Following this, Wade recalled his Bulls days, prompting him to take accountability. That said, the 3x champion had nothing to worry about as his actions aided in him forging a lifetime bond with those players. His mere presence undoubtedly inspired them, with Jimmy Butler, in particular, deciding to follow him to the ends of the earth.
Shortly after Wade called it a day, Butler arrived at the Miami Heat to steady the ship. Since then, the latter has led by example while helping the franchise reach new heights. This undoubtedly impressed Wade, prompting him to support the 34-year-old every step of the way.
A glimpse into Dwyane Wade and Butler’s brotherhood
One such instance occurred during Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals. Wade cheered for his former teammate while waving a custom t-shirt. The front featured a collage – one image of him sitting next to Butler and another of ‘The Lion King’ characters, Mufasa and Simba, walking together to signify the change in time. The back of the shirt read ‘Himmy’ to display his unwavering support for the Heat star.
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Wade’s influence turned out to be anything but negative for Butler. His achievements inspired Jimmy Buckets to push his limits and become an achiever. This made the stars close to one another while giving rise to an impeccable NBA brotherhood.
