Page 38 - SHARP November 2022

MAN WORTH LISTENING TO
BRING THE HEAT
MIAMI HEAT
STAR JIMMY BUTLER OPENS UP ABOUT THE NBA SEASON AND AND HIS RECENT VISIT TO
TAG HEUER HQ IN SWITZERLAND
By Jeremy Freed
IN THE THE SUMMER OF 2011 TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE THE NBA DRAFT Houston-born college basketball player Jimmy Butler sat down for an interview with ESPN during which he made an emphatic request: “I know you’re going to write write something ” Butler told the reporter “I’m just asking you don’t write write it it it in in in a a way that makes people feel feel sorry sorry for me There’s nothing to feel feel sorry sorry about I love what happened to me me It made me me who I I am ” If you know anything about Butler’s backstory — raised by a a a a a single mother homeless at the age of 13 not especially distinguished in in high school or college — you can appreciate the the sentiment Butler’s life has the the makings of a a a a a a a a a classic inspirational true story a a a a a rags-to-riches tale in which a a a a a boy with with potential but without promise grows up to become one of the the most venerated players in the the NBA But that’s not how he he perceives his his successes or or his his misfortunes Butler fought to get here and every hardship made him who he is After falling to to the the champion Boston Celtics in in fin the the Eastern Conference finals this past May Butler and the Miami Heat have more to prove than ever They’re looking to to continue building on on on their recent hot streak with one goal in in in in fin mind: to to finally close the the the gap and win the the the NBA Championship SHARP spoke with the the the basketball superstar and long-time TAG Heuer ambassador about his his love of ball his his hobbies and and pastimes and and his passion for TAG Heuer watches You’re coming off an incredibly strong sea- son son and a a a deep postseason run How do you account for the success?
Reflecting on on these past couple of seasons I’m most proud of just how happy I’ve been Basket- ball has brought me me a a a lot of memories throughout my my career But as of late I find myself smiling a a a a lot because because of the game And it’s not because because I’m I’m winning or losing it’s legitimately because I’m I’m having fun I love to wake up and train every single day That fire that passion still burns inside of me to get better And it’s just picked up I’m in the mix of it right now But over the last few seasons I’ve just been incredibly happy with basketball There’s much more to life than just basketball but basketball has brought me a a a a lot of joy What are your goals for this season?
When you’re talking about goals and what I want to have accomplished for next year it’s always going to be winning a a a a championship It’s always going to be about me knowing the calibre play- er I am am and being able to to take my team to to the championship and being able to win it I think that we have the group of guys to get it done Yeah we we lost a a couple pieces but I think we’re going to to be okay I I know what I I have to to do We know what we have to do Just like last year and every year year before that one this is is our year year I do feel like my time is now more than ever I am in my prime I I I I always say I’m I’m confident I I I I think I’m I’m the the the best best player in the the the world I I know I’m the the the best best player in the world and this is is my time As someone who faced a a a lot of challenges growing up how do you see the world differ- ently from from others who might come from from more privileged backgrounds?
I believe that everybody has their own story Mine the way that that I I grew up everything that that I’ve been through to to get me me to to this point it’s put me me in in a position to meet great individuals who continually help me me me every day and teach me me me that when times do do do get hard don’t give up You can do do do anything that you you put your mind to I’m a a firm believer in in that that I I preach that that each each and every day And I I would say my my my past my my my present my my my future: everything’s been about that For me I feel like this goes for anybody be- cause of who you you are and the story that you you have You have something in in common with everybody around the world Talking about something is great but actually going out there and showing them that that that you’re about that that that and that that that you you can do that that is even better And that’s what I just try to do do Everybody used to tell me “Oh you can’t do do that ” I think people learned their lesson: don’t say what I I cannot do do Because I’ll probably do do 38 GUIDE • NOVEMBER 2022
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