Wait He Was Kicked Out At What Age?!

Many NBA fans believe that athletes have no problems at all. Many of us think that these NBA stars that we are privileged to watch daily deal with no personal issues. Whether its extreme fan bases or how we view players as a number, NBA fans tend to forget that this beautiful sport entered these players hearts as a way to find acceptance in society. For most of these NBA players, they used basketball as a way for safety or a way to transform their lives. Most of these NBA players develop a deep emotional relationship with basketball hence their incredible success. Jimmy Butler is one of many examples of this as he has such a famous yet inspirational story about how his heart connected with the game of basketball. From being overlooked for most of his life to now making millions of dollars, Jimmy Butler has been through all kinds of hardships that made him into the man he is today. The Miami Heat are gifted to have a player of Butler's calibre considering the number of lessons and experiences he can share among his young teammates. Even though Butler received a max contract not too long ago with the Miami Heat, what are the types of lessons that we can learn from Butler's story?

Born September 14, 1989, Jimmy Butler grew up in a small town in Texas called Tomball which was a suburb of Houston. Butler didn't exactly have the most glamorous start to his life as he had to deal with plenty of drama. It all started when Butler's father, unfortunately, walked out of his life at a young age, which was tough for him as he was raised having only one parent. Already looking at Butler's life, it started very rocky for him considering that he had no father figure type of role to look up to when it came to seeking advise or to teach him what's right or wrong. His mother was all that he had for a parent role, which started to get to her. As a child, Butler's mother neglected him for a good portion of his life to a point where Butler felt alone in this world. For a kid growing up alone without a father while his mother would neglect him for the most part, many of us would think that Butler would be in a different circumstance.

Despite all of this, Butler was not a bad kid growing up. In fact, instead of Butler pursuing crime or bad habits, he picked up a basketball in order to distract himself from his hardships. Unfortunately for young Butler, life was not getting easier for him as his relationship with his mother was becoming tenser each day. It was getting so bad that his mother kicked him out at only the age of thirteen, which is unbelievable. No one, including Jimmy Butler himself, comprehends why his mother kicked him out at such a young age. Typically for a 13-year old, instead of worrying about whether or not they had a home to go to, they would instead focus on playing games or going to school. Butler did go to school and play games; however, once this tragic act by his mother unfolded, his life started to look like a survival movie. From countless foster homes, Butler was struggling to find a place that he can actually call home. Typically, a person knows what their home is, which is a place they can express themselves comfortably and is also a place that you feel the safest. Butler, as a young teen, never had the privilege to gain that experience, which is what shaped him to the man he is today. Even though Butler's life almost looked hopeless at times, what did he do to make up his hardships?

As a teenager, Butler was on the hunt to find two main things. The first one being survival, and the second one being, purpose. Despite all the hardships Jimmy faced, he never gave up hope and instead wanted to embody all the rage and sadness into something beneficial. Instead of joining gangs or being seduced into some crime, Butler wanted to make a name for himself to show the world that nothing is hard unless you make it. He wanted to broadcast his skills as he was a tough kid that was forced to become a man at such a young age. However, during his journey from travelling from foster home to foster home, basketball was something Jimmy Butler would seek out to pursue as a stress ball. The satisfaction a person gets when they dribble a basketball on a hard surface is something incomparable, especially when the ball lands in the circular hoop. Butler connected with basketball very quickly as he would practice for hours each day for merely a coping mechanism. However, one day during high school, Butler’s life changed drastically. Butler and his friend Jordan Leslie who are now best friends in the present day were playing a casual game of basketball. Even though Jimmy lacked a physical dwelling he can call home, Jordan Leslie was a person that made him feel comfortable and alive. Their friendship was so close that one day, she invited him to her house to play some video games, which is what embarked a new beginning for Jimmy Butler.

Once Leslie’s family understood his circumstance, they sympathized with him and realized that Butler is in desperate need of assistance. Rather than kicking him out like every other place Butler had to deal with, Leslie’s family quickly embraced him as one of their own. This impact that Butler received was overwhelming yet a pleasant time for Butler as he has never experienced such love and appreciation in his entire life. Whether it was his mother kicking him out or the countless foster homes that removed him, this was the first time in his whole life that where he felt accepted. During his time with the Leslie’s, Butler found something that he thought he could never find for the rest of his life. Michelle Lambert, who was Jordan’s mother, quickly started to be a mother figure for Butler. Lambert has a mission which was to help Butler’s growth in any way possible and promised a life-changing opportunity to the young Jimmy Butler. Lambert agreed to herself that she would guarantee the young Jimmy Butler a chance to go to college to give him a chance to become something in this world.

High school was by far the most crucial moment in Jimmy’s life. Not only did he find a family which was something that he never thought he could find, he also found purpose. With his mother figure Michelle Lambert promising him a second chance in this world, Butler had to believe that he can live up to all the support he attained. Butler had to reflect on what his strengths and weaknesses are, which was quite simple for him. Throughout his life, Butler had one consistent skill that was up his alley, which was, basketball.

Once high school was over, Butler decided to pursue basketball more seriously in hopes to become a pro-athlete. Unfortunately for Butler, he was only an average player despite working so hard in the gym. Butler had some work to do to accomplish his dreams as he was ranked 72 in Texas, which was not good if he wanted to be a college basketball player. Typically, College’s tend to look for players who are in the top twenty, which was problematic at the time for Butler. However, Jimmy experienced harder tests in his life, which made this hump easy for him. He understood that if he wanted to become an NBA player one day, he would have to work double the amount compared to the top recruits in the country. Butler decided to go to Tyler Junior College, which is where he would embark an extraordinary career in basketball. His work ethic and dedication showed the entire country that he had heart for the game. Even though Butler’s skill set wasn’t the best at the time, he would always try his best to become the best player he can be. This incredible work ethic and dedication allowed him to join Marquette College, which was a Division 1 university. This opportunity that Butler received was merely the beginning for something extraordinary.

Marquette University was a dream come true for Jimmy Butler. When we reflect on his life, most people that go through the experiences and hardships that Butler faced would have accepted their fate. Butler may have felt sad at times or depressed during his tough journey; however, he took that as a challenge for himself. Instead of wasting time on dwelling and being upset, Jimmy kept on moving forward at such a young age. He developed an incredible work ethic which encouraged him to believe that one day, all this hard work he put in would pay off. Looking at this Marquette opportunity that he received, his hard work and dedication paid off for Butler even though this was just the beginning.

Jimmy Butler realized that his mother figure Michelle Lambert did keep her promise that she endured. Butler was finally changing his life and paving his own story of success. The amount of time and energy he put on the court was something that he felt he had to do in order to repay his mother figure. While no one believed in Butler, Michelle Lambert and the Leslie family believed that one day Butler would accomplish his goals and dreams. All these incredible motivations that Butler acquired since meeting his new family was displayed on the court considering that he would never leave. A head coach saw this dedication at Marquette University as he was amazed by how many hours Butler put into mastering the game of basketball. This coach never saw this type of commitment and realized that his roster of athletes would never put this type of work into anything unless they truly loved it. As a result, he offered Butler an offer to play for Marquette, which was something that Butler thought was a fantasy for him. From there, Butler was ecstatic and thrilled as he not only got this incredible offer, though he found something that he would have never expected to have in his entire life.

Coach Buzz Williams was arguably the most significant motivation piece for Jimmy Butler when he entered the college level. Similar to a father, coach Buzz wanted the best for Butler considering how hard he was on him. People who are hard on you means that they love and appreciate you for who you are and want the best for you. No one in Butler’s life did any of that for him, which is why he felt that coach Buzz was his father. Buzz was dedicated to making sure that Butler would improve his skills and toughness on and off the court. He would schedule mandatory practices throughout the year to a point where he even forced the whole team to go on a wilderness expedition to toughen up his roster including Jimmy Butler. Coach Buzz was extreme at the time; however, his actions were necessary in order to better his roster. Butler felt honoured and overwhelmed as he never had this type of experience of a father figure to believe in him this much. Even though Coach Buzz was tough on him, Butler was tougher on himself as he felt indebted to him. However, even though Butler had heart, dedication and now someone that believed in him the way coach Buzz did, the reality was, Jimmy was still merrily an average basketball player. Unfortunately for Butler, he remained an average player throughout his college career which was starting to frustrate him. During various practices, he would get angry all the time due to how obsessed he was of wanting to become the best player. Although the coaching staff did appreciate his passion for the game, they had no choice but to deduct points due to his tantrums on this court. This act by the coaching staff allowed him to be more focused on the court to perform better. As a result, his passion for the game would finally pay off as he was gifted an opportunity unimaginable.

All the frustrations and uncertainty that Butler had during his time with Marquette University finally paid off as he was invited to join the NBA draft combine. Even though Butler put the work in, Coach Buzz was a massive help for him considering how dedicated he was to to make Butler an attractable asset for many teams. Notably, coach Buzz reached out to the Celtics, Clippers, and the Chicago Bulls. Most if not all, organizations that coach Buzz reached out to were uninterested due to how Butler was known as only an “average player.” Despite all the lack of attention that Butler was getting, he never gave up hope as he believed that he would enter the NBA draft and exit as an NBA player. Butler was determined to get picked by some team even if it was the 60th pick which is the last in the NBA draft. Fortunately for Butler, his beliefs were correct as he was picked by the Chicago Bulls, which was the only team that was willing to give him a chance due to his work ethic. When looking at the greatest NBA players to ever play the game, most if not all of them had one thing in common, which was, incredible work ethic. Whether its Larry Bird or Kobe Bryant, every legendary player would have indescribable work ethic hence why they are known as legends. Butler had the heart of a legend however lacked the skill for one which was not entirely a big deal for the Bulls as they picked him with the 30th pick in the first round. Butler fulfilled his goal to be an NBA player; however, realized that he needs to put in a lot of work to potentially become the face of the franchise.

When reflecting on Butler's introduction to life, his journey to success and stardom was the opposite of natural. Since day one, Butler was faced with hardships and drama that a child should not have to go through. Whether it was Butler's father walking out of his life to his mother kicking him out at the age of 13, Jimmy was always trying to find that one person that believed in him. Butler's mother is a prime example of this as she gave up on him so early in his life, which allowed him to be fueled with motivation. From foster home to foster home, Butler continued his journey to find a belonging which was something he needed. If it weren't for all the hardships Butler faced, he would have never been where he is today. His hard work and persistence towards the game of basketball allowed him to accomplish all he has throughout his career. Whether it is winning the most improved award back in 2014 or being a multiple time all-star, Butler's heart for the game paved an unforgettable career.

Jimmy Butler's story has many lessons that all of us should aspire to learn. Even though he had nothing as a young adult, his heart and mindset towards life were enough for a person to be fulfilled. His desire to seek hope is genuinely something that we all should practice. Butler suffered immensely on the streets yet; he never gave up on himself, which led him to achieve all that he has. However, the biggest lesson that can be understood from this incredible story is, if you have a heart for anything that you desire, you will accomplish all of it as long as your willing to put the work in even if other's choose to doubt you.

As an NBA fan, Butler's incredible journey was one of the main reasons why I became an NBA fan. The notable factor that highlights his entire story is his mindset towards life. He never gave up and instead worked harder and harder each day to achieve his goals. Even though he had doubts from people, let alone his biological parents, he still moved forward and never stopped having hope. The main lesson that I took from his story that I practice every day is, to never lose faith in what you're doing and to always move forward even if the world is against you. Thank you, Jimmy Butler, for allowing me to use your story as a way to not only inspire myself but to also inspire you.