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Jimmy Butler has navigated through trade rumors and contract talks as he and the Miami Heat prepare for the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. The Heat are coming off of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign that culminated in a first round loss to the Boston Celtics, a series which Butler missed due to injury.
This year at media day, Butler opted to go for a more “normal” look after last year shocking fans by debuting an “emo” hairstyle, complete with eyebrow rings and makeup. Now, fans are getting a behind the scenes look at what went into that decision from an exert from Netflix's upcoming documentary “Starting 5.”
“I got to be emo for a day, but I'm lowkey emo all the time,” said Butler (via ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter). “I mean, aren't we all feeling that way, and some emotions just take over?”
Butler then went on to describe his reaction to the public discourse surrounding the look.
“It made so many people's day,” said Butler. “This basketball player, he's actually up there being who he is.”
Meanwhile, behind the scenes footage showed the reactions of some of Butler's Heat teammates from the event, which included a bewildered Bam Adebayo.
“There's no way you just wanted to do this,” says Adebayo in the clip.
“Yes I did,” replied Butler.
Can the Heat bounce back this year?
Butler's decision not to go for any particularly noteworthy looks at this year's media day may signal that he is all in to try to lead the Heat back to championship contention–and to land one more maximum contract for himself next offseason.
Butler has made a habit the last few years of not playing his best basketball during the regular season, instead using that time to tune up before unleashing the full version of himself in the playoffs.
While that strategy worked in 2022 and 2023, both of which culminated in deep Heat playoff runs, it appears that the Eastern Conference now has so many viable teams that Miami cannot afford to have its best player taking nights off in the regular season, especially considering the injury history of some of their other key pieces.
In any case, the upcoming Heat season is set to tip off on October 23 at home vs the south east divisional rival Orlando Magic. That game is slated to get underway at 7:30 PM ET from Miami.
