Jimmy Butler started off his career some 12 years ago with the Chicago Bulls as the last pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. At that time, LeBron James and the Miami Heat were one of Chicago's biggest rivals, which apparently prompted a bold promise from Butler early in his career.
During one of his early interviews, Butler stated that the one thing he would never be caught wearing was a Miami Heat jersey. Butler obviously failed to live up to that promise many years later. And he is now the heart and soul of this current iteration of the Heat.
Butler has now broken his silence about this decade-long oath. According to the six-time All-Star, it was all about circumstances:
“When I'm coming into the league, the Heat used to beat the Bulls all the time when they had the Big 3, the Heatles, whatever you want to call them,” Butler said. “So me getting drafted to the Bulls, we can't like the Miami Heat. You can't like D-Wade even though you went to the same school.
“Then you fast forward and I'm playing with D-Wade with the Bulls, I'm like, ‘This guy is not a bad guy.' It was just [former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau] that kept hitting me upside my head. And now, full circle, it'll be the last jersey that I wear.”
Butler was a sworn enemy to the Heat fans during his early days in the NBA. And truly, the feeling was mutual for the former Marquette standout. However, as Jimmy Butler himself said, he's now gone full circle. And at this point, Miami supporters are willing to go through a wall for this man. Similarly, Butler would do the same for them.
As a matter of fact, Butler has already made another promise here about retiring with the Heat. Let's just hope he keeps his word this time around.