Jimmy Butler is having a magical first season with the Miami Heat, and one former teammate is (maybe somewhat surprisingly) happy for him.
Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins said on Monday that he was rooting for the Heat, who just advanced to the NBA Finals. Wiggins added that he was rooting for Butler specifically. Wiggins also brushed off Butler’s previously negative reputation. Wiggins said that he always enjoyed playing with Butler, per Wes Goldberg of Bay Area News Group.
Andrew Wiggins says he's been rooting for the Miami Heat and, specifically, his former Timberwolves teammate Jimmy Butler.
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) September 28, 2020
Wiggins says Jimmy Butler's negative reputation comes from "people who couldn't handle certain situations" and adds he always enjoyed playing with Butler, and the way he held his teammates accountable.
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) September 28, 2020
Wiggins and Butler were teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves for parts of two seasons from 2017 to 2018. Their time together was characterized by tension. Butler was often on Wiggins’ case because of his work ethic and defensive effort. At one point, Wiggins’ brother even got involved in it.
Today, both players are getting new beginnings on different teams. Butler’s reputation is now very much on the rise as well. Thus, the time feels right for Wiggins to help put an end to any beef that may still exist between them.
