Jimmy butler biography homelessness

Butler couch-surfed for years in Tomball, Texas, and had a reputation as a troublemaker. He often moved every few weeks. He told ESPN in that he doesn't think of himself as having been truly "homeless. Going into Butler's senior year of high school, the Lamberts, a local family in Tomball with seven kids, took Butler in after becoming friends with their son.

At first, Butler only stayed over a few nights a week, but they eventually agreed to take him in full-time if he did chores and improved his grades. Though Butler was named all-district first-team after averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds per game his senior year of high school, he didn't receive interest from big schools. Butler ended up going to Tyler Junior College, about three hours north of Tomball.

Jimmy butler biography homelessness: After Jimmy was abandoned, he

There, Butler drew national attention with a series of and point games. He led the team in scoring his freshman year. Butler faced a steep learning curve when he got to Marquette. Head coach Buzz Williams continually tested Butler's fitness and toughness. He also worked with assistant coaches on finishing through contact, with coaches hitting Butler with pads and frustrating him.

Butler averaged just 5 points in 19 minutes per game in his first year at Marquette.

Jimmy butler biography homelessness: Jimmy wasn't exactly living on the

However, over time, he got into better shape, and things clicked for him. During his second year at Marquette, Butler averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds in 34 minutes per game and became the program's most driven player. He thrives on that. He would hold me accountable to that. You coach me as hard as you want today, Coach. He wanted everything to be grueling.

He wanted it. Butler's draft stock rose thanks to a solid senior season at Marquette, winning MVP at the Portsmouth Invitational, and strong pre-draft workouts. A scouting profile from ESPN even fairly accurately projected Butler as a smooth scorer, tenacious defender, and impactful player on the court. Despite that, he nearly fell to the second round to a team with many mouths to feed.

Butler proved himself to be a useful 3-and-D wing over the first three years with the Chicago Bulls, but he was largely overshadowed by players like Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah. However, inButler exploded, averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game en route to winning Most Improved Player and making his first All-Star team.

Butler suddenly showed he could create his own offense and be the No. Butler played less than two seasons, demanding a trade after just one year. He famously dominated a Wolves scrimmage in training camp after asking for a trade, shouting, "You fing need me" to management along the sidelines. Butler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers during the season.

He immediately made headlines for challenging head coach Brett Brown in a tense meeting. Lambert insisted on settling some ground rules for Butler, including having a curfew and improving his grades at school. Work hard in school. He had to set an example. And you know what? Jimmy did it. He subsequently bounced from Minnesota to Philadelphia to Miami.

Butler was heavily criticised every step of the way, even when he went to the Heat, a team which clearly offered him a perfect fit. Stephen A. Instead of counting his money and lounging on the beach, Butler has propelled Miami to the NBA Finals, an incredible feat that absolutely no one predicted. And while hardly anyone seems to seriously think he can win it all, there was a time when no one thought he could make it to a Division I college, let alone make the NBA, let alone become an All-Star.

Jimmy butler biography homelessness: › basketball › jimmy-butler-childhood-nba-draft-miami-heat.

Butler has long been in the business of proving people wrong. He has always used the negative energy of others as fuel. Skip to content. But, his willingness to face adversity and work even harder through the hardships is what made Jimmy a soon-to-be star. After displaying stellar performances at Tyler Junior College, he went on to play Division-1 basketball at Marquette University where he began making a name for himself.

Butler was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the last pick in the 1st round and had to continue proving his worth to crack the starting lineup, which he had finally done so in his second season. Having breakout years in his 2nd and 3rd seasons in the NBA, Butler placed his mark in the basketball world in his 4th season after becoming a first-time all-star.