Jimmy Butler Says He Doesn’t Care About The FIBA World Cup

Jimmy Butler isn't a big fan of the hype around the FIBA World Cup, categorically saying he doesn't care about it.

4 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

• Jimmy Butler is clearly not tuning into the 2023 FIBA World Cup 

• The Miami Heat star said he doesn’t care about the tournament

• Butler is a former Olympic Gold medalist with the 2016 Team USA roster 

Former Olympian Jimmy Butler is enjoying his offseason. He has spent the last few months hanging out with soccer stars and watching tennis while also stoking the flames of ‘Damian Lillard to Miami’ rumors. When approached by a Serbian reporter at the 2023 US Open, Butler declined to talk about Team USA at the FIBA World Cup by declaring he doesn’t care about the tournament. 

“I’m not making any statement here… I don’t care about the World Cup!”

Butler never represented Team USA at the FIBA World Cup but did play in the 2016 Olympics. He struggled under FIBA rules and averaged just 5.6 points per game on 34.2% shooting from the field.  

Regardless, he has an Olympic Gold at home by playing for Team USA in a competition that’s considered the most prestigious in international basketball.


Team USA Looking Shaky At The World Cup

Team USA was hoping to extinguish the flames of a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2019 World Cup this year. To avoid that fate, they must win their quarterfinal match with Italy tomorrow morning. They’re coming off a shocking loss to Lithuania in the second round but can still win their remaining games to earn the Gold.

The selected roster was heavily criticized for the lack of stars that elected to play for the tournament. Echoing the same sentiment as Butler, it seems not many people care for the competition. The 2019 World Cup team was one of the worst in modern history, as most NBA players declined to go, and a weak roster was sent.

The roster this time isn’t as weak as the one from 2019, but needs more than just Anthony Edwards to consistently succeed against national teams that excel in FIBA play.


Jimmy Butler Chasing A Championship

The Miami Heat have made two NBA Finals appearances in four seasons with Jimmy Butler. They also made it to seven games in an Eastern Conference Finals in this era, showing that the team has been a force in the playoffs. After their Finals run last season, the team has lost various rotation players in the summer.

Max Strus is on the Cavaliers now, while Gabe Vincent is playing for the Lakers. The team hasn’t really replaced them, clearly waiting to see if they can complete a Damian Lillard trade before that. Given the success they’ve had in the Butler era, the team needs to go all-in as soon as possible to maximize this window for the already 33-year-old Butler.

Butler averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in the playoffs and doesn’t have many seasons left in his athletic prime. Chasing Lillard, who’s a similar age as Butler and equally hungry to win a title, makes perfect sense. It’s just a question of whether they can get the deal done before training camp or will head into the regular season with a thin roster that could be headed for the play-in once again.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *