Jimmy Butler Is ‘Elite’
Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler has been praised as an ‘elite’ player, as he continues to have a tremendous season.
Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler is certainly making a name for himself, and for good reason. The 26-year-old has been the talk of the basketball town recently, even overshadowing teammate Derrick Rose.
Butler, who was drafted No. 30 overall in 2011, has proven to be the pick of the century.
After a rough upbringing, including his father abandoning him as an infant and his mother throwing him out of the house when he was only 13, Butler found his love for the game. This would not only lead him to develop a close relationship with the Lambert family (who ended up taking him in before his senior year of high school) but set him up for a future most people only dream of.
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As a senior, Butler was voted MVP after averaging 19.9 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. He was also team captain that year.
He was not heavily recruited moving into college, but ended up at Marquette after spending a year at a junior college, where he averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. At Marquette, he finished his college career averaging 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game, and earned All-Big East Honorable Mentions two years in a row.
As though Butler’s journey into the NBA was not unusual enough, he happened to be drafted during a lockout year. This meant a shortened season of only 42 games, somewhat limiting his rookie opportunities. However, Butler still came off the bench in every matchup.
The organization seemed to see the potential in Butler right away, but it took the league a while to recognize what a powerhouse the Bulls had on their hands. After all, since being drafted in 2008, the team has “belonged” to Rose. That is, perhaps until now.
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Head coach Fred Hoiberg was recently asked about his superstar. What was the first thing out of his mouth?
"“I think Jimmy has reached elite status in this league.”"
In an environment such as the NBA where talent runs rampant, this may seem like a grandstanding statement. But consider this.
Right now, Butler is averaging 21.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists on a nightly basis. His plus-minus puts him at the No. 19 spot for best player in the NBA.
Oh and he broke a Chicago record previously held by Michael Jordan.
Butler may have called out Hoiberg earlier this season, and some are reporting that he has “changed,” but there is no arguing that he is leading the Bulls to success. Currently 21-12, Chicago is second in the East, en route to make a solid run at a championship. And especially after the strange way their season started, that is quite an accomplishment.
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While Butler did not go into his professional career hyped up like Kevin Durant for example, he has certainly proven that he can compete with the best of the best at this point. Butler’s game has significantly improved year by year as well, so it is safe to assume that this is only the beginning of his new found stardom.