Jimmy Butler's New Legacy

Author: Ian Kayanja

Editor: Aaron Mesco

A championship changes a team and player's legacy forever. In basketball, it immortalizes those lucky enough to be members of a team that struck while the iron was hot.

When a team wins the big one, it holds something no one else can take away. And for the rest of eternity, that team and those players will always be mentioned with the words former NBA Champion.

It’s an elite club that many are vying for, but very few individuals gain access to it.

Yet, not every championship is the same. Not every former champion is remembered as they thought they would be. See Kevin Durant for proof.

And oftentimes, it's those that got close enough to basketball immortality and failed, that tend to dance on the realm of the fan’s imagination for the rest of eternity.

People like Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, and John Stockton are all remembered for how close they were to reaching the highest point in the sport. They are thought of as fiery competitors and winners—even though they didn't win the last game of the season.

What immortalizes those in the ringless category is their unwillingness to quit in the face of defeat. It is the uncanny ability to commit to the process, even when it never breaks in their favor. It's the disposition to be 'in the arena' even though their face is marred with blood, sweat, and tears. It's the never-say-die attitude they hold that makes their stories endearing to fans.

Jimmy Butler now falls into that category. In these finals, he averaged 29 points per game, 8.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists per game, and 2.6 steals. He did this in a Finals that didn't feature his two running mates (Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic) for a good portion of the series. Time and time again, with his back against the wall, Butler answered the call.

When the Heat stood on the cusp of going down 3-0, Butler offered up a 40-point triple-double to extend the series at least one extra game. He went toe-to-toe with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who both had lackluster games. Butler slashed to the rim, got to the line, and dictated the pace of the game.

He did his best LeBron impersonation. The astonishing thing was that it worked.

Butler averaged 42.8 minutes per game in the finals. And when, again, faced with the threat of elimination, he played all but 48 seconds of game five.

In game five, he went directly at LeBron. He wasn't scared. He saw an opportunity to help his team live to fight another day and took it. He put together a virtuoso performance with a 35-point triple-double that culminated in him taking the game-winning free throws.

He was everything the Heat needed, and then some. He didn't shy away from big moments- he chased after them. So, in a round-about way, Jimmy Butler losing these finals has immortalized him as though he is an NBA champion.

The same way past generations speak of the Jordan and Barkley duel, this generation will speak of a Butler and LeBron duel. This generation will remember that Butler never laid down; he played with no fear. That is a rare trait in today's social media NBA world.

If Jimmy Butler never wins a championship, that's okay- it won't change what we saw in the 2020 NBA finals. He immortalized himself in the NBA record books while also coming out on the losing end. Butler showed us exactly who and what he is- a winner.

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