Heat’s Jimmy Butler Says Winning NBA Title Would Mean ‘Everything’

Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler told Nick Friedell of ESPN that winning an NBA title would mean “everything” to him.

The six-time All-Star, who is playing in his second NBA Finals, only cares about one thing and that’s winning.

“Everything,” Butler told ESPN. “What are you talking about? That’s why everybody plays this game — I lied, that’s why a lot of people play this game — is to win a championship. Everybody here — is to win a championship. That’s all we lock in on; that’s all we’re focused on. Like we put so much energy towards winning and playing for one another that if we do this together, we get to celebrate this together, we’re like, I don’t know the word, itched, niched, we made our mark in history together forever, so we’re in that.”

Butler signed with the Heat in the summer of 2019. He has finally found a home in the NBA after having rocky stints with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.

“It’s only about winning here,” Butler said. “It’s only about working hard, it’s only about being together, and they only bring people here that’s about one goal. We’re not worried about how much money you make, we’re not worried about the stats, we’re not worried about the All-Star appearances, we don’t give a f— about no Eastern Conference final MVP. Honestly, we don’t give a f— about no Finals MVP either.

“We only care about winning the championship, and then we can break that goddamn trophy up 15 ways and we all get a piece of that, but that’s what it is.”

Butler is averaging 27.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists in the 2023 playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. The Marquette product is grateful to be a member of the Heat, who have never once tried to change him.

“I’m happy it’s here,” Butler said. “I’m happy I get to do it with these guys. I’m happy of the man, the dad, the basketball player, the everything that I am today. And I’m still very grateful for day one in the Berto Center [with the Bulls] and the Mayo Clinic [facility with the Timberwolves] and whatever the 76ers’ [facility is called]; I’m grateful for all those opportunities that’s getting me here to know what I got to do to get it done.”