Netflix Series Reveals Tragedy Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Dealt With Last Season

Shandel Richardson | Oct 9, 2024

Oct 8, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives to the basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler was dealing with more than injury the last half of the season.

The Netflix series "Starting Five" revealed he also endured the death of his father last February. According to the show, Butler's father, also named Jimmy, passed away at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach.

Butler learned the news via text from his agent, Bernie Lee. The Heat were in San Antonio playing the Spurs.

“I was like, ‘Nobody ever texts me when I’m in the air, ‘Have I landed yet?’,” Butler said on the show. “So that’s when I knew my dad had passed. It’s crazy that that triple-double was the last game that my dad was alive.”

Butler struggled with the death for the next few months. His season ended in the Play-In Tournament when he sustained a knee injury. The Heat then lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

STRONG DEBUT FOR BURKS

After a solid debut in the Miami Heat’s preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets, Alec Burks talked postgame about how he feels being a part of the team.

Due to Tyler Herro dealing with an injury and missing the game against the Hornets, Burks filled in as his replacement for the starting lineup. He was asked postgame how playing alongside the other starters felt and what he saw from them overall.

“It's still going to be a learning curve because I’m the new guy. But I think it was a good start. I just wish we would have won.” Burks said. “I think we did a good job. We had some mistakes, we had some great plays. That’s just preseason where we’re supposed to iron those kinks out, so we can be better when the real season starts.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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