Caron Butler reminded everyone this week why old school vets still matter in today’s NBA. In a moment that quickly went viral, the Miami Heat assistant stepped in after rookie forward Myron Gardner disrespected Klay Thompson during Monday’s game, and he made sure the young player understood exactly who he was talking to.
During the Heat’s 106–102 win over the Mavericks, tensions boiled late in the third quarter when Gardner chirped at Thompson from the bench, reportedly calling him ‘trash.’ Klay, who has had a rough season but still carries one of the most decorated resumes in modern basketball, wasn’t having it. He marched over to the Heat sideline and fired back with, “Who the f**k is you? Talking all that s**t. Who the f**k is you, dude?”
Both players received technical fouls, and the moment instantly spread across social media. Fans laughed, debated, and replayed the clip, but the story didn’t end there. After the game, cameras captured Butler walking Gardner toward the tunnel as Klay was heading back to the locker room. Butler positioned himself between the two, clearly guiding his rookie through what was about to become a teachable moment.
Gardner shook Klay’s hand and appeared to apologize. Thompson, to his credit, stopped, listened, and accepted the apology before the two went their separate ways.
After Klay Thompson and Myron Gardner were chirping and were given technical fouls, assistant coach Caron Butler took Gardner to the tunnel to apologize and give Klay his respect.
This is awesome. pic.twitter.com/v4mcYzxw0R
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 26, 2025
It was a simple interaction, but a powerful one.
Butler played 14 seasons in the NBA. He was an All-Star, a respected veteran, and one of the toughest leaders of his era. And in that moment, he reminded Gardner that respect in the league isn’t optional, especially when you’ve only logged three NBA games. Klay may be struggling this year, but his legacy isn’t up for debate. He is a four-time champion, one of the greatest shooters ever, and a player who fought back from a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles to stay on the court.
That level of accomplishment demands respect.
It also came just days after Klay’s verbal back-and-forth with Ja Morant, proving that emotions around him are running high. Gardner choosing to talk trash during a rough stretch for Klay wasn’t surprising, but it was misplaced. As Butler seemed to recognize, a rookie who hasn’t yet carved out a place in the rotation can’t be the one leading the chirping.
Fans praised Butler for stepping in, calling it a true OG move. Many also pointed out that Gardner is lucky to have a mentor willing to pull him aside early in his career to teach him how to carry himself.
Thompson walked away from the exchange the same way he handled the game itself. He hit a corner three over the Heat bench shortly after the initial trash talk, proving that pride still fuels him even as he fights through a difficult season.
For Gardner, the message was clear: you haven’t earned the right to talk to legends like that.
And Caron Butler made sure he learned it the right way.
