Jimmy Butler Changes His Jersey Name For Rest Of NBA Career To Honor His Late Father

Jimmy Butler has officially changed his jersey name to "Butler III," marking a significant and deeply personal tribute to his late father. The Golden State Warriors star made the change ahead of his team debut on February 8, exactly one year after the passing of his father, Jimmy Butler Jr. This move, which Butler confirmed will remain for the rest of his NBA career, is his way of honoring the man who shaped him, even through a turbulent childhood.

"Because I am the third and it’s actually a year [ago] today of the passing of my father. This was big for me to change it and realize that I am his son. So I’m very grateful, and that’s why I’m Butler III now."

After his first game with the Warriors—a dominant 132-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls—Butler revealed the emotional reason behind his jersey change. 

Butler has always been known as one of the NBA’s most intense competitors, but he’s also a player with an incredibly complex personal story. He famously had a rough upbringing, experiencing homelessness as a teenager before forging his own path to NBA stardom. 

While his relationship with his biological parents was distant during his early years, he eventually reconnected with them as an adult. His father’s passing in 2024 profoundly impacted Butler, as documented in the Netflix series Starting 5, which detailed how Butler took private flights during the 2023 NBA Finals to visit his father in the hospital.

The news of his father’s illness came just before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023, and despite carrying that emotional burden, Butler led the Miami Heat to victory over the Boston Celtics before ultimately losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals. He later took a brief leave of absence from the Heat when his father passed away in February 2024, missing a few games to grieve and be with his family.

Butler III is no longer just a symbolic tribute but a permanent part of his identity. The Warriors' newest acquisition has also made another change, switching his jersey number from 22 to 10, a nod to Brazilian soccer legend Neymar, one of his sports idols. However, it is the name on his back that carries the most meaning, as Butler has made it clear he wants to represent his father in every game he plays moving forward.

In his Warriors debut, Butler put up an impressive 25 points, showcasing his ability to seamlessly fit into Golden State’s system alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Two nights later, in a 125-111 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Butler contributed another well-rounded effort despite struggling from the field. He finished with 20 points on 4-of-12 shooting but made his impact felt elsewhere, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out six assists, and recording four steals in 31 minutes.