The Miami Heat have enjoyed immense success with forward Jimmy Butler as the team’s star player since 2019-20. The team advanced to the NBA Finals in the NBA Bubble losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. And this season they overcame a very subpar regular season in which they needed a play-in game win to advance to the playoffs.
Once in they knocked off the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games, upset the fourth-seeded New York Knicks in six games, and then they beat the title favorite Boston Celtics in seven games, winning Game 7 on the road.
They were led by their talented but often overlooked star, Jimmy Butler, whose will to win by any means necessary is being compared to that of the late, great Kobe Bean Bryant.
Andre Iguodala Likens Butler’s Mentality To Kobe’s
When you think Kobe Bryant, you think “Mamba Mentality,” which Kobe described as conquering your fears and being your best self, and that’s what Jimmy Butler has done his entire. Never the most talented, but Butler’s relentlessness and toughness has carried him to heights he probably couldn’t’ve imagined.
That had current NBA free agent Andre Iguodala speak rather highly of Butler during his recent appearance on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast.
“You always look back and say, ‘How is Jimmy getting it done?’ He can shoot threes, he can’t go left. Jimmy, he’s probably the closest that I’ve seen to Kobe Bryant with that mentality of just, man, Jimmy will just figure out a way to win,” Iguodala continued. “I’ve never seen a will like that. I’m like, This dude got a Kobe Bryant will, a will to win.“
“Whatever they say about Jimmy, he figured it out. I seen him dribble with his right hand, left and pull up for a three against Milwaukee this year,” Iggy added. “He was going crazy.”
Butler Hopes Team Lands Damian Lillard
The Heat have come up short in both of their Finals appearances since Butler arrived in 2019-20. In each loss it came down to not having enough offense to get them over the top. During NBA free agency the Heat decided to let both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus leave for other teams as they attempted to trade for perennial All-Star and superstar Damian Lillard.
While things were looking up, trade talks between the Heat and Portland Trail Blazers stalled when the two sides couldn’t agree on compensation. Now the belief is the Blazers will hold on to Lillard until the Heat give them what they want in return. A failed trade for Lillard will likely mean Butler and the Heat still won’t get that elusive title that has eluded him twice in the past four seasons.
