Dwyane Wade is considered by many as the greatest player to ever don a Miami Heat jersey.
When he talks, especially about Miami, people listen. That was the case when Wade convinced Jimmy Butler to choose the Heat over any other team.
The power of his words seemed to be enough to sway Butler to decide that he had to come to South Beach.
Jimmy talking about D-Wade always raves about everything about Miami and the Heat culture. “He would always say, ‘It would be a place for you. … It just fits.’”
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 7, 2019
The most probable reason why these words resonated so strongly with Butler is because of the journey that he had to go through the past few years.
Three seasons ago, Butler was enjoying a six-year tenure with the Chicago Bulls. Then, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves the following offseason.
One season later, he was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Saying that Miami is “a place for you” and that Butler “just fits” are the exact words that he likely needed to hear at a time when he had no home to speak of as a free agent.
The fact that it was coming from a former teammate whom he admires certainly meant a lot to the four-time All-Star as well. Wade and Butler played together for one season with the Bulls during the 2016-17 season. The two also share an alma mater in Marquette University, though their time with the Golden Eagles did not overlap.
