Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler took a hilarious job at youngster Jamal Cain following their one-on-one game during practice.
Both Cain and Butler played their college basketball at Marquette University, and Butler introduced him to the league in a one-on-one matchup.
“Forward Jimmy Butler finished practice with an aggressive one-on-one session against Cain, who also attended Marquette, before closing his collegiate career at Oakland University,” the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman wrote.
Butler made it known that playing him is not a cakewalk, hilariously taking a shot at Cain following the matchup.
“Not too many people can beat me one-on-one. He damn sure can’t do it,” Butler said with a smile. “Some people have an opportunity. But one-one-one, like get a bucket, get a stop? That’s what I do.”
After transferring to Oakland last season, Cain saw increased opportunities. He showed an impressive skill set, as he averaged 19.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He was also named the Horizon League’s Co-Player of the Year.
Even though Cain has some collegiate accolades, playing an All-NBA caliber player like Butler is a totally different story.
Butler, a six-time All-Star, had a terrific season for Miami in the 2021-22 campaign. He averaged 21.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 23.3 percent from beyond the arc.
As great as he was in the regular season, Butler saved his best play for the postseason. He helped the Heat reach the Eastern Conference Finals, and he led the team to a Game 7 in that series with several high-scoring playoff performances.
Cain, who is on a two-way deal with Miami, can learn a ton from Butler and the rest of the Heat veterans as he tries to make a name for himself in the NBA.
Butler had some serious praise for the youngster for his performance in the preseason.
“Without a doubt,” he said. “He’s been playing incredibly well right now. He’s trying to prove his worth in this league, which I think he’s an NBA player. He rebounds. He guards. He’s actually shooting the ball incredibly well right now, and he listens.
“I think that’s the biggest thing to do whenever you’re coming into a team with vets and even younger guys, you’ve got to be able to learn and play that role. He’s doing that greatly.”
The Heat are hoping that Cain can contribute when called upon in the 2022-23 season as they look got make another deep playoff run.