Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler likes to use media day to make a statement. Not the normal media day, spoken statements laced with cliches. More like a fashion statement.
This time last year, Butler arrived at media day dressed as “Emo Jimmy,” complete with bangs, nose piercings and eyeliner.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Butler told the room of reporters. “I’m very emotional right now. This is my emo state and I like this. This is me. This is how I’m feeling as of late.”
“Emo Jimmy” was present in his bio page on basketball-reference and NBA.com for the season, a win in Butler’s book after some outlets refused to use his dreadlocked look from the year prior.
“Dread Head Jimbo” was the first of Butler’s media day alter egos. I wrote about his transformation and what it meant for The Ringer. This part always sticks out:
“We knew it was going to be a big deal,” his hairstylist Jessica “Diamond” Dart told me. “It ended up being a way bigger deal than we imagined it to be.”
When it was, Butler decided to assume the position of NBA media day’s biggest troll. Emo Jimmy was more extreme than Dread Head Jimbo, and he one-upped himself again this year.
Here’s how Jimmy Butler showed up to Miami Heat media day.
This year, Butler arrived several hours late to media day after mechanical issues delayed his flight from Paris. Once finally at Kaseya Center, Butler donned his Heat jersey and cornrows. In other words, nothing out of the ordinary.
“I just want to play basketball and want to be available, like Pat was talking about,” Butler said. “I plan on being that… and making everybody happy… . I’m here. Normal hair. No shenanigans.”
Jimmy in the building. pic.twitter.com/LOrFbvk0g5
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 30, 2024
This is a welcome change for Heat fans and an organization hoping that Butler takes the regular season more seriously. If Butler’s no-shenanigans approach extends to the season, then the Heat will have a better chance to avoiding the play-in tournament and making a deeper run in the playoffs.
Butler entered the summer seeking to negotiate a contract extension that would have turned the two years and $101.2 million remaining on his contract to a three-year, $161.7 million deal.
However, Riley shot down the notion of an extension during his end-of-season press conference, during which he challenged Butler to be more available before the Heat would entertain a long-term commitment.
“Guess I got to hoop, got to prove that I am a major part of winning and rightfully so,” Butler said. “I’ve done it before and this is no different. This is going to be a great year for myself. This is going to be a great year for the group of guys we have. That will take care of itself whenever that time comes.”