The 2023 NBA Finals comes down to the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. Here are five storylines to watch for.
Everything to know about Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Himmy Buckets is back in the NBA Finals.
In other words, Jimmy Butler.
The star forward has been the anchor behind the Miami Heat’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals despite entering the postseason as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Butler has been a key force in a Miami underdog run before when the No. 5-seeded Heat made it to the 2020 NBA Finals. However, they fell short to the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.
Their run in 2023, though, has surpassed the past due to the magnitude of what they could achieve in the balance. Miami nearly fell out of the postseason entirely through the play-in tournament before a late fourth-quarter rally against the Chicago Bulls saw it qualify.
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Then Miami toppled the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks, No. 5 New York Knicks and No. 2 Boston Celtics, the latter of which involved a Game 7 road win despite being up 3-0.
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Butler won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award from that series as a recognition of his performances, but like he told Bam Adebayo with the conference finals trophy, he wants to “hold the next one.”
Here are five things to know about Butler as he looks to guide Miami to history against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in 2023:
Where is Jimmy Butler from and how old is he?
Butler was born on Sept. 14, 1989 in Houston, Texas. He is 33 years old.
He went to Tomball High School in Texas before starting college at Tyler Junior College in 2007-08, where he averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He then transferred to Marquette as a sophomore on an athletic scholarship and stayed there until 2011 when he graduated.
Which NBA team drafted Jimmy Butler?
Butler was not heavily recruited coming out of high school and that trend continued with his draft stock following his college days. He was initially projected as a late second-rounder, but his intriguing measurements helped his status.
The Chicago Bulls then drafted Butler with the last pick of the first round (No. 30 overall) in the 2011 draft. He stayed in the Windy City until 2017 before having one-year stints in Minnesota (2017-18) and Philadelphia (2018-19), ultimately settling in Miami from 2019 to now.
How much is Jimmy Butler’s salary?
Butler currently is on a three-year, $146 million contract with Miami. His salary in the 2022-23 season is just north of $37 million, but that figure is estimated to jump just over $45 million for the 2023-24 campaign.
*All contract numbers via Spotrac
How many MVPs does Jimmy Butler have?
While Jimmy Butler has never won the league MVP in the NBA, he does have plenty of other accolades on his resume. The list includes six All-Star nods, one All-NBA Second Team, four All-NBA Third Teams, five All-Defensive Second Teams and 2015 Most Improved Player.
He most recently won Eastern Conference Finals MVP for his performances in the 4-3 win vs. the Boston Celtics.
Does Jimmy Butler have a trademark?
Butler recently filed a trademark for the phrase “HIMMY BUCKETS”.
It will be used to launch a brand comprising coffee, clothing and other beverages.
