Speaking in a recent locker room media session, Jimmy Butler finally shared his thoughts on Dwyane Wade's recent statue unveiling. Butler spoke very highly of Wade (one of his NBA idols) and hinted that he's not the only Heat legend who will be awarded with the gesture.
"I like it," said Butler via Wes GoIdberg. "think what he's done for the city... I think it's crazy that he's the first one to get a statue out there. I'm pretty sure you won't be the last one to get one but what a way to set an example. The guy has done so much for this organization, he's my brother man and I'm proud of him."
Wade, a 3x NBA champion, was recently honored with his own statue outside the team's arena in South Florida. The work featured Wade in his iconic Heat gear, mimicking one of his most memorable poses.
While it was meant as a way to honor the Heat legend, many fans have taken to ridiculing the statue online claiming that it looks nothing like the 2006 Finals MVP. Critics point to the lack of detail on the face which puts the whole thing off, but Wade has come out to defend the statue by claiming it doesn't need to be exact.
No matter how the art piece looks, Jimmy Butler agrees that Wade should be thankful and it's not every day that a person gets immortalized with their own state. Cleary, No. 3 means a lot to the Heat and to the city of Miami and Butler knows first-hand the weight that comes with that.
As the modern-day leader of the Heat, Butler is putting it all on the line to help the team reach new heights this season. At 35 years old, Jimmy is still one of the best two-way wings in the game and he's off to a solid start this season with averages of 17.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game on 44.1% shooting.
After finishing 8th in the East in 2024, Butler missed the first round and had to watch as his team got bounced by the Boston Celtics. Going into this campaign, the odds aren't much better for a title run.
With Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Kevin Love, and Nikola Jovic, Butler has a solid cast of role-players to help back him up but it may not be enough against the Eastern juggernauts like the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
For Butler to live up to his potential and build a legacy worthy of a statue in Miami, it's going to take winning a championship before his career is all said and done. With nothing but two Finals appearances under his belt, Butler has yet to close the deal on a championship run but there is still time for him to pull it off.
This season, at 2-1, Butler is already proving that he has a lot left in the tank and the Heat are looking like a much-improved team out of the gate. Hopefully, they can sustain this momentum throughout the season and return to being a favorite in the East.
