The Miami Heat have undergone a handful of transformations over the years, most recently entering a new era under Jimmy Butler.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler cares about a lot of things – his teammates, a good cup of coffee – but what people think of him, is not one of them.
"“Believe me when I tell you that I do not care what people say about me,” he told Marc Stein, just a few days after his team fell short, 4-2, to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals. “I truly don’t care.”"
A sentiment that hardly needed to be presented as a friendly reminder, given Butler’s rise through the league.
Or, the fact that he posted this image and corresponding caption, to Instagram.
Between his exit from the Chicago Bulls, a place he thought he’d always call home but unfortunately was not met with the same sense of respect, his infamous Minnesota Timberwolves practice (during which he supposedly screamed, “you (bleeping) need me. You can’t win without me” at general manager Scott Layden) and his candid take on the Philadelphia 76ers‘ lack of leadership, it’s clear the 31-year-old has always simply stayed true to himself.
But it seems that over the past few years, the veteran’s confidence in who he is as both a person and a player has only grown stronger.
Between speaking out during a 76ers film session, immediately targeting South Florida as his new home because of his connection to The Culture and a season’s worth of notable media soundbites (“we ain’t sneaking up on anybody. Everybody is gonna know when they go up against the Heat what they’re going up against”), Butler is showcasing an entirely new level of realness.
So what does one man’s raw demeanor, have to do with an entire organization?
Well, everything.
For starters, his outspokenness has paved the way for other guys to feel more comfortable with their own thoughts and beliefs, too. While a personality like Bam Adebayo may never be quite so boisterous in an interview (he is a Cancer sign, after all), it’s still easy to see he’s become less afraid of the limelight. Similarly, Duncan Robinson has begun to embrace his newfound attention, crediting Butler with supporting him both when he performed well and while he struggled.
Even head coach Erik Spoelstra has seemed looser during pressers, most recently having touched upon feeling a “great sense of responsibility” to get his star a title, soon.
Then there’s Tyler Herro, who instantly became like family to Butler.
"“Ever since I got here he’s been like a big brother to me…” Herro told ESPN’s Nick Friedell, during Miami’s playoff run. “Without Jimmy, I probably wouldn’t be doing this as a rookie.”"
Their fast brotherhood undoubtedly helped the 20-year-old find his footing as a professional player, especially after having spent just one season at the University of Kentucky. But the benefit goes both ways, as Butler too has certainly improved as a leader.
"“…he’s a tremendous leader for us every night,” Herro expressed to the media, after defeating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. “He lays it all out there and there is no other guy that we would want to lead. He’s a leader in the locker room, on the court, off of the court. With him leading, I feel like we’re in good hands.”"
And he’s not wrong.
While Butler absolutely contributes a whole lot on the court, it’s his attitude off of it, that has caused the franchise to enter a new era – one that is marked by unwavering assurance and disinterest in comparison.
Gone are the days of the villainized Big Three and a Youth Movement in-progress.
Under Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat are who they are, and will not apologize for it.