Miami Heat: Why Jimmy Butler Should Closely Study Michael Jordan’s Career
By Noah Decker
Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler And Michael Jordan Aren’t All That Different
While no one will confuse the two in the boxscores, there is a certain sameness about them.
The Similarities
First, their playstyles on the floor are actually pretty similar. Even though Jimmy Butler is more of a pass-first player and Jordan is a scorer, they both do their damage in the same areas.
Both are elite two-way players who take pride in their defense. Both have a skillful midrange game and can also attack inside with or without the ball.
Obviously, Jordan was more of a skilled player than Butler and had a larger arsenal of moves, such as his post game, but the similarities are still there.
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Aside from the alignment of their play styles, what truly makes Butler similar to Michael Jordan is his basketball mentality.
Butler might not be the “killer” that will drop 40 points on anyone who gets in his way, but he does have that Jordan-esque work ethic and mental toughness. Jordan was known for pushing his teammates in practice.
Jimmy Butler does the same. Butler also thrives on guarding players who have beef with him.
For example, Butler and T.J. Warren got into a big argument in 2020. Here is a video of Butler kissing Warren goodbye after an altercation on the court.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1215087251924844544?lang=en
When T.J. Warren emerged as one of the biggest surprise stories of the “Bubble”, Butler was confident that he would be able to stop him. And he did, as the Heat swept the Pacers.
Jordan was the same. However, He also always felt that he was unstoppable on offense.
On one occasion, as seen on ESPN’s The Last Dance, Jordan laughed when Gary Payton said that his defense on Jordan was tiring him out.