At the end of the 2019-2020 NBA season, few players had raised their profile more than the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler. The 31-year-old is coming off an NBA Finals appearance in his first year in South Beach, and aside from emerging as the face of the Heat and establishing himself as one of the league's best players, he is now also the face of a sneaker brand. 

Butler has agreed to a multi-year signature shoe deal with Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning:

It remains unclear how long Butler's deal with Li-Ning is or how much the contract is worth, but according to DePaula, the deal will make Butler the face of the brand, which also has a lifetime deal with former Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade.

Before signing with Li-Ning, Butler previously had sponsorships with Adidas and Jordan Brand, per HypeBeast. His deal with Jordan Brand reportedly ran from 2014 up until early this year. For most of the 2019-2020 season, the Marquette product was a sneaker free agent as he led the Heat to their first Finals appearance in six seasons and went toe-to-toe against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. 

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Butler, who previously played for the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers, had a strong first season with the Heat, averaging 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 45.5% from the field and 24.4% from beyond the arc in 58 games. He turned his game up even more in the playoffs, delivering numerous iconic performances, including several in the Finals.

Butler’s impressive first year in South Beach was apparently enough for the five-time All Star to land a lucrative sneaker deal, which will likely feature his own signature shoe. Life is good for the Heat star right now.