Jimmy Butler didn’t always love the Miami Heat.
In fact, back in 2013, he made a comment about how he’d never put on a Heat jersey. He made the remark during his time with the Chicago Bulls.
Today, however, he finds himself competing for a title with the Heat. He has become one of the faces of the organization and a fan favorite. Butler recently said that he always knew he was going to end up with Miami.
“I knew I was going to end up here way back then,” Butler told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel regarding the Heat.
He joked about his motive for the comment.
“So I said it then just so I could make the tabloids think I could predict the future,” Butler said.
Butler talked about how he learned to “hate” the Heat during his time with the Bulls.
“I’ve got so much love for Chicago,” said Butler. “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 has played for a few teams throughout his NBA career. The Heat are his fourth. It seems like the 32-year-old is a great fit with Miami.
He has already led the team to one NBA Finals appearance, and he’d certainly love to lead them there once again. So far this season, the Heat are 12-7, which has them near the top of the Eastern Conference.
Butler is working on a strong campaign. He’s averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest while shooting 52.7 percent from the field.
If he can sustain that production for the entire season, it’ll likely end up being one of the best years of his career. Of course, winning a title ultimately matters more than anything else. Time will tell if he can help Miami accomplish that goal.
