With the season on the line for the Heat, franchise legend Dwyane Wade dialed up Jimmy Butler to offer up some words of wisdom.
While we don’t know exactly what dialogue was shared between the pair, Butler did give his friend a shout-out after the game and thanked him for reaching out:
“I got a phone call and text message from Dwyane Wade earlier today and he was telling me I can do this. Knee is banged up, but nobody cares. Go out there and continue to build your legacy. That meant the world to me, so I appreciate you D-Wade.”
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Butler has found a lot of success in Miami, but his move to the franchise wasn’t always widely accepted. When he first arrived back in 2019, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasn’t exactly a huge fan:
“I think it’s absolutely the wrong move,” said Stephen A. “He’s perfect for Pat Riley because Pat Riley loves that stuff. Any nonsense that exists inside of you, Pat Riley will strip from you the minute you arrive in South Beach. Here’s why I don’t like the move for Jimmy Butler; you’ll never be loved the way you were loved in Philadelphia. It was the perfect setup for him. That town loved themselves a Jimmy Butler kind of guy. Even though they respect Tobias Harris, they would’ve preferred Jimmy Butler… Then you go to Miami, Miami is not going to be better than Philadelphia. They may, maybe not. They’re not going to be better than Philadelphia. He’s not going to be Dwyane Wade. I understand that Dwyane Wade is no more, he is retired. That’s Wade County in Miami. When you’re playing that position, there is a standard that has been established that people will hope you meet. He’s going to Miami. And you know what Jimmy Butler is gonna be? Just another really, really good basketball player.”
It’s fair to say that Butler has made Stephen A. eat those words. He has emerged as a true superstar, and the Heat are one win away from making their second Finals appearance in three years.
The true test for Butler, though, will be on Sunday for Game 7. If he rises to the occasion, the Heat could go on to live another day. Maybe he’ll give Butler a call to increase his odds.
