Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler explained in a recent interview how crucial luck can be in basketball and life.
“Honestly, I just keep doing the same things I’ve been doing every single day to get me to whatever point I am in life,” Butler said to Dime Magazine. “But for things that go as close to perfect as they can, cause there’s no such thing as perfect, the stars have to align or however you want to put it, but if you’re doing the same thing every day, you’re definitely going to be comfortable. You’re going to know where you stand whenever adversity hits, or when something gets really, really difficult. And then it’s just like, yo, luck comes around just at the perfect place, the perfect time, and it just takes you over that edge. And now you’re at a point where like, man, all this hard work has really been paying off, but more than anything this is the moment that I’ve been waiting on. And you’re going to capitalize because you’ve been focused, you’ve been planning on it all the time. And then, boom, the luckiness sets in, the right timing sets in, and everything that you really wanted, you’ve got now.”
Over the course of his career, the 32-year-old Butler has developed into one of the top players in the NBA. That development has evolved ever since he was the No. 30 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Butler’s work ethic is one reason why he’s risen to such heights. He brings an intense focus to the game that has sometimes rubbed teammates the wrong way, but it’s clear that it’s a crucial part of who he is.
On the topic of luck, a pretty unlucky global development actually helped the Heat reach the 2020 NBA Finals.
That particular development came in the form of a pandemic forcing the NBA to finish its 2019-20 season in a bubble. The Heat flourished in that setting.
Despite their underdog status, the Heat managed to reach the NBA Finals. Given the neutral setting, Miami arguably gained an advantage since the team was just the No. 5 seed in the East.
This season, Butler and the Heat currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 37-20. Whether or not the Heat win this year’s NBA title will depend in part on Butler’s efforts and no doubt some luck along the way.