Over his 13-year professional career in the NBA , Jimmy Butler has cultivated a high-profile public image characterized by his eccentricities, histrionics, and extroverted personality—all matched by his undeniable talent on the court. While his exploits with the Miami Heat frequently dominate headlines, there’s a deeper, often unknown side to Butler that he has chosen to reveal.
In episodes 5 and 6 of Netflix’s NBA series Starting 5, Butler shared the harrowing experience he endured during the last two years, marked by the serious illness of his father, Jimmy Butler Jr., who tragically passed away on February 8 of this year. “No amount of money in the world could bring him back. Basketball, no matter how much I played it, it couldn’t fix that,” Butler recalled, reflecting on the moment.
It all started in 2023, as the Heat were facing the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, preparing for a decisive Game 7. Despite knowing his father was terminally ill before playing, Jimmy took the court and delivered a stellar performance, scoring 28 points, winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, and leading his team to the NBA Finals.
“I hand him the [Eastern Conference Finals MVP] trophy, it gave him a different type of energy of like, ‘Yo, we’re going to beat this,’” Butler recounted. Unfortunately, his father’s health continued to decline, and he passed away just a few months later.
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat reacts against the New York Knicks during the first half in game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 10, 2023 in New York City.
“When you lose somebody who’s that dear to you and that’s taught you so much, that has seen you grow from a kid to a young adult to a star to the man that I am today as a father and then all of a sudden he’s not there anymore, I didn’t know what to do,” the small forward candidly reflected.
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A struggle beyond basketball for Butler
Following his father’s passing in February 2024, Jimmy Butler missed three games for the Miami Heat. Struggling with his grief, he admitted, “I want to always answer to that call. But I couldn’t care less about basketball right now.” He added, “It sucks to hurt. It sucks to lose people. But I’m very much human and I’m hurting right now.”
