Jimmy Butler to KAT: “Soft as baby shit. You a loser. I already punked you once.” KAT: “Call Rachel”
call rachel was honestly a great comeback even then. has aged wonderfully.
ootl who rachel?
Rachel Nichols
Sports journalist rumored to have had a romance with Butler during the bubble
And more importantly for the KAT connection (and actually verifiable), Jimmy flew her out to Minnesota to give him an interview before he had his “spontaneous” practice takeover
Wasn’t the interview after? Like immediately after
That’s why it was premeditated as hell.
Hahahaha ya Jeff Teague has a great video on it. After Jimmy destroyed them he left practice and they finished their scheduled practice. They went to the locker room and saw him sitting down for the interview with Rachel Nichols. Still one of the craziest funniest things to me.
the omnipresent Jeff Teague
Bro has been on the bench for some of the wildest moments in NBA history. His podcast is such a gem!
Forrest Gump of the NBA lol
That story of Tony Brothers calling his aunt and mom a ho during a game was wild 😝
It’s funny because he’ll agree that he was on these benches even though he started much of his career or was on the court in these moments
If there is an amazing story in the last 15 years, you can count on Jeff Teague somehow being there, either instigating like a punk or suffering on the receiving end.
Seriously, all those stories and the constant through line is “yeah I was getting my ass kicked, kinda my fault honestly, still hilarious”.
“Jimmy gone”
I love that story.
Haha so freaking funny and he’s such a natural storyteller. The story of him giving Josh Okogie cash and making him go buy a second Xbox for Teague to take on the road cracks me up. Josh got him a used Xbox.
Then the other thing that cracks me up is after you guys won the finals and Teague decided to drive home to Indy. His friends were so bewildered when he called them and told them to have 2k fired up and ready to go because he was on his way. In all fairness he said Giannis wanted to celebrate with his family which is super wholesome. My favorite line was Jeff saying “Our after party was trash bro, I had better times in Lou-Will-Ville”
Yeah. Jeff Teague has a great story about it on a podcast
https://youtu.be/ju5XSQnR2yg?is=bGvKs4ep1GNsKx5R
Always worth a rewatch
The rest of the team was *still at practice* and watched it from the locker room if I recall lmfao
Yeah. Jimmy and the third stringers beat the starters, then Jimmy literally ran away. The starters were sitting around still somewhat confused and then were clamoring for a rematch. They went to the locker room to be like “get your ass out here Jimmy we’re going again”, but when they got there Jimmy was already on the TV with Rachel Nichols shitting on the team lmfao
What do you mean by spontaneous practice takeover?
Jimmy had been refusing to participate because he wanted an extension. Then in the same day he showed up to Wolves practice, joined the 3rd teamers scrimmage the starters and talked a lot of shit while doing it. Then left practice and did an interview with Rachel Nichols
Dont forget the part where he cut out the wolves logo on his chest
Don’t forget the part where he fucking wrecked the starters while playing with the 3rd teamers too lol
I’m a KAT (and Wiggins) fan but you can’t say that shit wasn’t hilarious at the time
7-0 in a practice scrimmage is 7 points. And 3rd teamers in the NBA aren’t exactly Joe’s from LA Fitness. The damn Spurs blew a 29 point lead in the Finals but if Butler was a Spur and told the story you’d swear he won.
I never knew about it being premeditated with Rachel the reporter waiting in the wings, that changes the whole story.
Most guys are probably putting in 75% intensity in a scrimmage to 7 points. The other Wolves players were probably like “wtf is this dude on” when Jimmy suddenly dialed it up to 100% in a random practice.
There’s also the take of “Why are you trying to make your teammates look like shit in a practice to get yourself an extension? What do we got to do with that? Talk to the GM.”
And THEN you went and put us on blast in an interview with Rachel Nichols that you obviously already had scheduled before you showed up to practice.
Anytime Jimmy wants to open his mouth about anyone else acting like a bitch “Call Rachel”
Derrick rose was one of those 3rd stringers and he scored 50 in a game that season.
The starters are not trying to achieve the same thing in practice that the 3rd teamers are. Starters ar likely focusing on certain things like maybe pick n roll offense, or certain sets. Not to mention they are not going as hard. Its not crazy a try hard Jimmy and people trying to show their skills can beat starters going through the motions
Agreed. How much energy do you want to expend trying to defend someone as good as Butler who’s giving maximum effort? As they say, we’re talking about practice. Not a game. Practice.
Meanwhile those two now have a ring and Jimmy doesn’t
Damn, what a prick. Every time I learn something new about this guy it only supports the case he acts like a spoiled brat. I’m glad Giannis swept his ass during his championship run…
omg this is the first time you are hearing this story? lol it was hilarious, and back then people thought it was hard bc kat wasnt well liked.
you have to hear Jeff Teague tell it https://youtu.be/uT-6sroS-5o?is=e8DamH8O60LOkYga
Lol, thanks for this. This was hilarious, especially the comment section flaming KAT and Jimmy fanboys hoping he wins a ring in order to shut up all the haters, I guess we’ll keep waiting for that ring.
At the time a lot of people were on Jimmy’s side…lol
It looks different in hindsight now that Wiggins and KAT have won rings. Nobody was blamed for thinking that team was soft at the time.
And in his defense, the 3rd string shouldn’t beat the starters in practice, especially not so consistently that Butler could rely on that to happen when he scheduled the interview.
Bud the going all out in practice trying to bait your coworkers isn’t a flex.
Like if someone tries to show you up while tearing down the org the best thing to do is not engage.
I guarantee you the starters were like “whatever”.
Jimmy Butler is a POS don’t doubt it
That scrimmage gave us one the top NBA copypastas of all time.
Story was told by Jeff Teague. They were in the scrimmage and Jimmy pulled some funny shit with the jersey.
He teamed up with the G leaguers and they beat the main team. After he ran out the locker room and ended up back home in a span of like 20 minutes to do an interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT-6sroS-5o
Man I love hearing this story over and over again. “Jimmy gone” lmfaooo
Jeff Teague’s somehow always caught in funny situations like these, so many stories
“Oh hold on he talkin about me” gets me everytime
his whole 3rd stringers tantrum at practice which was entirely premeditated
Butler famously beat the wolves starters in practice with the third string guys and then verbally attacked the team, namely KAT and Wiggins
He had Rachel Nichols waiting at his house to do a full scale live interview on it too. Just a prick.
Dude set up an interview knowing he was going to beat the starters with the 4th stringers lmao. That’s how you know how unserious the starters took practice. Jommy knew for a fact he was going to win and had a celebration planned for afterwards
The practice where Jimmy (who was embargoing himself from team activities to force a trade) decided to appear and beat the other starters with the 3rd stringers, which gave him (he felt) enough to try and punk the team and specifically KAT for it. It’s not exactly uncommon for starters to lose scrimmages, it’s kind of the point of them, and even his buddy Teague in his podcast eventually said Butler barely even participated in (scored 2 points, iirc).
All in all Butler was pissed at the Wolves giving KAT AND Wiggins the Max before him, and instead of hearing further planning on how to make these things work, went scorched earth, while redirecting his anger at KAT mostly, instead of Thibs, who was the person actually responsible for those deals.
even his buddy Teague in his podcast eventually said Butler barely even participated in (scored 2 points, iirc).
That’s not how I remember it. Wasn’t he saying that Butler did everything but the scoring?
you said KAT flew her out btw… Jimmy did, to be clear.
Ur right bad pronoun usage, gonna edit
is she the nba version of russini?
Nah I think people like Rachel
Plus it’s the fact it was a coach. Erin Andrews dated David Wright and Aaron Rodgers and married Jarret Stoll. Sam Ponder anchored ESPN’s NFL show for years, but I guess it helps that Cristian’s career never went anywhere.
Damn Christian Ponder catching strays in the NBA sub lol
Rachel Thickles and D Wade was there first
Rachel Nichols, she was a reporter for ESPN. Butler ran to her to do an interview about the infamous T-Wolves practice.
Jimmy was holding out. His story was that he just woke up that day and decided to go to practice. He then walked off the court and did an interview with a fully setup ESPN team that had flown in from New York. As always, Jimmy was full of shit.
Yup, tbh, he spun the media/public to get on his side pretty well at the time. People are only coming around to him being a POS lately.
Rachel Nichols, the reporter Jimmy talked to after he practiced with the like third string/practice squad players and beat the starters.
Basically, Jimmy Buckets clapped Rachel Nichols’ cheeks. During the bubble.
Rachel nichols
Homestly Jimmy has always been a bitch who reminds me of Snoop being all cozy with big broadcasters
A fake ass bitch
He do be moving like Snoop putting money above everything else while acting lie he’s way too cool for anyone or anything while doing it
>has aged wonderfully
I must have missed something. How has this aged wonderfully?
Turns out he called Rachel ahead of time to be at his house for the infamous interview ( and they were so close because they had slept together)*
So he’s saying go tell Rachel again maybe she’ll listen to you
* allegedly
It’s honestly aged even better now that KAT has a ring and Jimmy doesn’t 😅😂
The fact that Jimmy’s former teammates don’t talk to him tells you every you need to know about him. I loved what he did in Miami, but it’s clear he’s an asshole.
Not even bam is surprising
He was such a dick in Miami he started half assing and throwing games when he asked out. The infamous “ I lost my joy” quip from Jimmy lead to Bam wearing a hat that says “joy dealer” the season after.
Teams take on the characteristics of their best player and if jimmy is your best player your team is gonna be a little on the mercurial side
Like how Myles Turner said that Giannis being constantly late made everyone not care and be late as well including himself.
And look at the Knicks. We got a leader who’s strong, resilient, and never gives up, and our team has all bought into that
He did the same thing in Minnesota. Suspicious turnovers in crunch time that lost games. And at Milwaukee he didn’t show up for pregame warmups and was unreachable before arriving just a couple of minutes before tipoff. And Thibs started him. I guess Thibs didn’t want to kill Jimmy’s trade value, which was also why Jimmy sat out all those games with General Soreness.
Thibs also had a hard on for Jimmy
He was such a vibe killer in MN.
Was so weird to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years and feel bad about it.
Thibs shares some of that too. I remember reading several reports about Thibs refusing our beat writers and having just a rotten front office that everyone hated working in.
It’s still FJB, but at least he took Thibs with him on his way out (even if Thibs is/was a great coach).
I was like what did Biden do to the Timberwolves before I realized you’re talking about Jimmy
Thibs is a great coach but he never should’ve been in charge of the FO in Minnesota, that was ultimately his downfall there. Him turning down a huge pick hall from the Rockets for Jimmy because he still wanted to be a playoff contender was just awful
His exit from Miami pretty much solidified him as an asshole. His Miami stint erased his asshole stigma and he was labeled as “just misunderstood, he’s does ANYTHING at all cost to win, he’s the embodiment of Heat Culture” Then he pissed away all the good will he built in Miami by all the antics he pulled on his way out. I’m glad he has regained his title as an asshole and team cancer while KAT got his ring.
embiid loves him
I wonder if that’s is because it was the least amount of time that Jimmy has been with a team. They never got past the honeymoon phase.
does buddy count or is it too soon
I firmly believe that Dwayne Wade changed Jimmy during his time in Chicago. I feel like Wade told him he had what it takes and what he needed to do to be a star in the league, and he took it to another level and became the Jimmy we know today. This is based on nothing but vibes while watching that team.
Rings:
Karl-Anthony Towns: 1
Andrew Wiggins: 1
Jimmy Butler: 0
Now Jimmy’s fans are going to say they won those rings thanks to him
Literally right below your comment LOL
This thread is gonna be full of some of the dumbest arguments you will see all week. A perfect kickoff to the offseason tbh.
Holy shite 😂
Jimmy has fans? Dude is an insufferable asshole and I say that as a Heat fan
Jimmy Butler doesn’t have fans. The only people that root for him only do so because he happens to be on their team. Meanwhile Wolves fans continue to root for KAT and GSW fans continue to root for Wiggins. I don’t see Bulls, Sixers, or Miami fans coming out cheering for this dude. Hell, I don’t even see GSW fans doing that for him now.
Butler “Don’t let us me get one”
Dumbest type of discourse in sports
Give me McBride over Jimmy Butler too
I think ring culture is dumb when it’s like oh now JB is instantly better than Dame because he’s won a chip (he might be eventually but team construction plays a role) but in this case I think it really is fine to do a victory lap because Jimmy Butler is a prick and shitty teammate who trashed his teammates to the media many times while KAT has been a good person and professional all the while, and now has won a chip precisely because he was able to put his ego aside for the team while butler has imploded what, 3 teams now and has nothing to show for it?
Tbf Butler did take Heat to the finals 2 times and was 1 shot away from going for a 3rd time. I know he didn’t win. But that’s something.
“You can’t win without us!” - KAT and Wiggins to Playoff Jimmy
I didn’t come here to cry 😭
Just need to get Tobias Harris a ring and the circle will be completed
Jimmy buttler is a well known asshole outside of basketball too. Staff members, in poker rooms, in hotels.
“He’s an idiot. Jimmy’s an idiot” - KD
“Just look at him”
KD has called everyone an idiot tbf, but he’s not wrong I guess
I don’t think KD is some scholar but as a fan of a lot of sports for now over 30 years so many of these dudes in pro sports are incredibly fucking stupid that being just like a regular person who took school even a little bit seriously makes you a god.
Yea, its anecdotal and stupid but I remeber him being on that show where they build fancy aquariums for rich people and he was a complete dick the entire time.
At first I thought it was a shtick - but by the time the show was over it was clear that hes just like that.
Its sad because he absolutely can be pretty charismatic. I saw a youtube video of him and ana de armas playing horse. But he just chooses not to respect most people.
*camilla cabello, not ana de armas
I’m sure Ana de Armas hasn’t ever met a rude person in her life LOL
She’s got pretty privilege pro max for sure
I actually met him randomly one time when Kyle Lowry came back for his first game vs Raps with Heat. My experience was that he was incredibly charismatic as you said, and very polite and friendly.
He was also with one of the hottest white chicks I’ve ever seen in my life but I guess that isn’t really relevant. haha
Rachel Nichols?
I think you are mixing up Ana de Armas and Camilla Cabello. I hereby sentence you to death for your crime.
It turns out his penis is very polite.
Yeah I feel like he put speakers in his aquarium so his fish would be “bumpin.” Pretty fucked up to not even care about whether it would hurt the fish.
Jimmy butler fish slander, we already in peak offseason
when i worked at the Raptors arena during the 2019 playoffs
he shit talked every single employee.
BUT he did it in a way that didn’t make you feel like he was an asshole. Just a very eccentric guy like a new yorker thats weirdly outgoing and friendly with everyone in a harsh way.
So a charismatic asshole?
A charismatic asshole is someone you like at first who eventually wears on you until you have to disconnect from them.
Seems like that fits the bill for Jimmy Butler to a T.
Damn he really might be MJ’s kid
He was so fucking insufferable during that Hustler casino live poker game. Basically tried to start a literal fight for someone suggesting he’d have played the same hand differently.
I heard his coffee is overpriced too
Jimmy is a classic edgy Texas 13 year old who never grew up. I know at least a dozen guys who are exactly the same
He was kicked out of his house at 13. It’s a situation where you can look at it and go “yeah, that makes sense,” even if it doesn’t excuse how he acts.
I mean tbh all this really boils down to is “you’re not 1A” and guess what KAT learned he doesn’t have to be and now that he isn’t and now that he’s updated his play style he’s now an NBA Champion.
KAT being mild mannered and non aggressive is such a stupid stereotype, you dont have to be that guy to win championships.
Go out, hoop, and make sure you’re playing with your TEAM. Simple as that.
If only Jimmy Butler had this same realization and maybe the 76ers would’ve won a title or 2
Guys like him will never figure it out, unfortunately. Westbrook is the same way, as much as I love him.
Carmelo. Harden. Many such cases.
Edit: I have been persuaded I was wrong about Harden.
I wouldn’t say that about Harden post Houston, and you can’t blame him since he was top 5 players in his prime.
Also he took the 6th man role in OKC and didn’t demand a trade it just happened.
If you want say he loves money and strippers that different.
even in Houston, Harden was extremely unselfish. Harden definitely doesn’t belong in this list of egomaniacs
They got that WR brain
Yes, James Harden the person who wanted to get out of Houston and play 3rd fiddle to Kyrie and KD. The only person who wanted to hold Kyrie accountable, and played on an injured hamstring - that still affects his athleticism to this day. Took a pay cut on the 6ers for a chance to win that season.
Willing to get traded to play on teams as the 2nd/3rd option, has to always ball out since his franchise player sucks ass in the playoffs. Kyrie, Embiid, Mitchell.
Wish he’d stayed with the nuggets as an off the bench energy guy instead of Sacramento
He was fun as hell but we needed a ball handler or a shooter off the bench more than an energy guy. Tim Hardaway Jr was a big upgrade there.
He had the Kobe and Jordan asshole attitude without being nearly as good as those two. Butler was still damn good though.
Recency bias is all this is, I remember when KAT was looked at as one of the “ softest “ bigs in the league and that was at the time jimmy was taking the heat to the finals with barely any help
The bias is KAT has now won a championship as a critical part of the team while Jimmy hasn’t. That Jimmy has too many personality disorders to win on a team where he’s not the clear #1 is his own problem
One is clearly ok sacrificing himself for the team, the other thinks he is the team
Jimmy absolutely was a 1a, let’s not get revisionist here. Jimmy’s second finals run was just him and Bam and undrafted players balling, Herro was injured. First finals run dragic who was the 1a and leading scorer the whole playoffs got injured. Still took it to 6 games vs prime Bron and prime AD. Man took relative weak teams to the finals twice. Love Bam but he was not the player he is now. Couldn’t make a three first two finals runs.
Honestly i respect guys like KAT who (on paper) have 1A talent and had a shot at it but have the humility to “take a step back” and adjust their game to work with a better player even if it means less accolades and money. There’s a lot of guys making max money who think they are the man but don’t and their team suffers for it.
(Granted KAT didn’t have the best early years in terms of a team so maybe in another timeline he could have).
His relationship with Ant says so much about him. Kat had no problem stepping aside and letting Ant take the spotlight. Instead of having a big ego about it, Kat supported the new rookie star and made sure their games complemented each other on and off the court
Right, I’ll always remember the way he let Ant drive the boat. Hyping him up and encouraging him every press conference, I loved that shit
And Ant reciprocated the praise back and then some. It’s a shame they could never develop a two man game despite how well they got along.
They were definitely on their way to developing one…But Wolves FO did what they did..
They played together for 4 years and it just wasn’t happening
Iirc Ant called KAT soon after winning the championship.
Self awareness. KAT had several years to be the A1 guy, and then 1B guy, it never worked. He adjusted to be an elite piece of a great team and it was perfect.
We saw it with guys like Melo, who didnt accept they couldn’t be the guy till it was way too late.
I don’t get all the “soft,” insults. It’s fucking basketball, not mma
Young men who have always been the top of their sport growing up are definitely gonna have a lot of the macho, “be hard” mindset. Its part of the culture, and no I domt mean black vs white, its just jock BS
It’s just supposed to be an emasculting insult, they use it rather than saying “gay, or a wuss, or whatever else” just guys that believe that having any emotional range outside of Angry, Hungry, or Horny, isn’t a “REAL MAN” ^tmcr
Isn’t Brunson pretty mild mannered and non aggressive ? I don’t think those qualities make a champion.
Agreed on your last statement.
I think they mean aggressive playing style. Brunson is aggressive as hell. There’s hardly a moment the ball is not in his hands. He will drive directly at the defenders to make something happen.
I can’t believe people are calling KAT mild mannered just because he has a high pitched voice. Literally never seen any player scream directly in the face of an opponent as often as he does.
How can anyone dislike Kat he’s so nice
Homophobia, fragile masculinity, among other things.
Dude’s a model professional and seems like a genuinely sweet guy.
Funny thing is he’s not even gay like wtf
Fellas is it gay to be engaged to a woman?
Super gay to eat pussy
The Sopranos (1999)
People just clown his mannerisms and his voice but he isn’t gay. Like have they seen his fiance? She’s fine as hell
He’s not gay, he’s just Dominican
My fiance is Colombian and unfortunately while the men in her family are homophobic, it’s funny to see how they perceive “gay” attributes vs how American homophobes perceive gay attributes. For example here it’s normal for men to ride motorcycles together while I’d guess American homophobes would call it gay
He doesn’t conform to typical alpha masculinity in a sport where that has been not only promoted but encouraged.
Smart and thoughtful doesn’t appeal to the general American public anymore
KAT had 2 loving parents that would follow attend every game, home and away. Jimmy had one of the worst mothers of all time that left him homeless at age 13. IMO Jimmy was jealous and saw being happy and loved as “soft”.
I feel like the old Butler/KAT wolves stink lingers with him
That’s what we’re saying. That whole butler thing was damaging to those young guys at that time in their career. And it left a lingering image of them to people who didn’t follow the wolves or the players
Which is why it’s fuck Jimmy butler forever. This game was the last time Jimmy beat KAT on the Wolves. He either ducked or lost every other time.
So glad Kat got a title before Jimmy
Jimmy butler is not getting one and never was going to
I mean he got damn close as the number one guy.
Is that as impressive as actually getting the ring as a two or three option? Probably not but it’s worth stating
More impressive. If I am making an all time list Jimmy ranks higher than KAT and Wiggins is not even sniffing the tail end of the list.
That does not exclude the fact that Jimmy is a tool, and that this is very funny.
It’s definitely more impressive lmao
did it twice too with a play-in team and nearly got the sixers to a finals
just let people have they moment rn lmao
Way more impressive
Jimmy is cooked and will never get a ring
Vanderbilt been in the league for a minute damn..
Scammed the league. 6’8 with no hops, can’t make layups or shoot. Just a bunch of cardio and rebounding. Smart man
Not calling him 6’8 P Bev 😭
Pat Bev could shoot, Vanderbilt doesn’t do nothing and his one good thing (defense) has slipped
So happy for Kat, Brunson, and og and also Mike Brown. But I feel bad for Tom Thibodeau.
Knicks don’t get there without those years of hard Thibs training to make em strong.
Thibs got nobody to blame but thibs.
The loudest clap in the bubble.
Jimmy must be seething being like 4th banana on the Golden Years Warriors while KAT was instrumental to bringing the trophy back to New York after 53 years
Golden Yeard Warriors is crazy
I’ll never understand how this didn’t nuke Jimmys reputation in the league. Full grown man falling out and quitting on his team after one whole season. It’s not like he worked his ass off for us for years and saw we weren’t trying to win. We’d just made the playoffs for the first time in over 10 years and lost to a loaded Rockets teams and that was enough to make Jimmy just give up completely. Absolute giant douche move.
Because the old school masculinity still dictates. Inside the NBA is also doing it and probably loved the Jimmy beat them in practice story
Oh 100%. That was pretty much the main narrative after it happened. Everyone loved to pile on Wiggins and KAT those days.
Mind you, Jimmy was the worst player for us that series. Rose was the best lol
KAT has a ring, seems to have figured out what his role is, keeps his head on straight after dealing with insane tragedy, and is engaged to Jordyn Woods.
We don’t all measure victory the same way, Jimmy.
Jimmy is kind of a cunt. Probably exhausting to be around.
those are called narcissistic asshole, they’re right and you’re wrong
I can’t clown Jimmy too much man no way KAT leading those Heat teams to even a single playoff series win
We aren’t beating the Spurs with Jimmy over KAT.
There ya go
Worry about making the playoffs first lol
Jimmy no rings butler, a class act
Why arr people now bringing these old clips like they’re probing something? At that time it was true, they weren’t playing ip to expectations. Hell, Dallas punked KAT out of Minney.
That was my thought, like this was what, 7 years ago now? Do people really not recognize that KAT has matured as a player and person over that period? Jimmy can be an asshole and still have not have been wrong at the time.
It’s crazy how a story can be framed when you’re a likable player and you have an *in* with the media.
God I love all the Butler hate now. Fuck that guy. Love this for KAT so much.
KAT needed the Villanova boys to help unlock his true potential, not Jimmy’s tough love approach.
Love that butler doesn’t have a ring but all the teams and players he shit on do
Butler is an idiot and always thought he was way better than he ever was
never was a fan
So did Jimmy actually get with rachel?
That’s not what KAT meant here. When Jimmy was on the Wolves and had the practice where him and the 3rd string guys apparently beat the starters in a scrimmage, he left practice and immediately called Rachel Nichols to do an interview. Which basically means Jimmy had the interview set up with her before practice and used it as part of his plan to force his way off the team.