“The one thing Jimmy Butler would never wear? A Heat jersey!”: Former Bulls star explains how he knew he’d end up in Miami despite a clip claiming otherwise
Jimmy Butler’s love for Miami Heat was secret to none even before the now Heat leader ever wore a Miami uniform. But it wasn’t always the case.
When Jimmy Butler took the court on Saturday, he came into the match against the ball club which drafted him and where he spent the first 6 years of his career.
Maybe he is the perfect fit for Miami Heat and “Heat culture” now, but Chicago Bulls is as responsible in making Jimmy a player he is as his tough childhood was.
Although he grew up in Texas his rigid character as a person has that Chicago in him and that is what now makes him the perfect mold for a Heat player.
But “Jimmy Buckets” never thought he’ll ever be a Heat player as he hated the team during his time in Chicago. At least he said so at the time.
Jimmy Butler hated Miami Heat when he was in Chicago or he lied through his teeth
Butler became a known name around the league during his time in Chicago. Although he was no second coming of Michael Jordan, Jimmy has that legendary mentality and work ethic. He started making it to the All-Star and All-Defensive teams in the latter period of his stay in Chicago.
But since Jimmy’s debut in the league, Miami Heat had the big-3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. And as we know his hatred for losing, we might as well guess his reason for the feelings against the Heat.
When it comes to Heat-Bulls, it’s a complicated story of hate and love for Jimmy Butler https://t.co/vEmEDv7zDq pic.twitter.com/8u35kiYh3w
— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) November 27, 2021
During his NBA emergence with the Chicago Bulls in 2013, in an interview with Chicago Splash, Butler was asked, to fill in the blank of, “The one thing I’d never wear …”
His answer was, “A Miami Heat jersey.”
Now having led the Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals, Butler grins and says that was all hoax as he always wanted to play in South Beach.
“I knew I was going to end up here way back then,” Butler said to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel before taking the court against the Bulls at the United Center.
“So, I said it then just so I could make the tabloids think I could predict the future.”
The 5-time All-Star wasn’t as happy in the past few years as he is after coming to the Heat. Traded by the Bulls in 2017 Butler first landed in Minnesota Timberwolves and just a season after that forced his way out and landed in yet another team which he did not want to play for, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jimmy had his eyes set on playing for the Heat since he left the Bulls but a trade couldn’t manufacture with Pat Riley’s team until it did.
“I’ve got so much love for Chicago, that’s where I first learned to hate the Miami Heat. And then when I left, I learned to love the Miami Heat, and the way that they do things.” Butler remembered.
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