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NBA ALL-STAR 2020February 15, 2020Jimmy ButlerChicago, Illinois Q. What does this All-Star experience mean to you? JIMMY BUTLER: I feel like I've been to an All-Star Game before, but I think it's always a little bit special where my whole NBA career started here in Chicago, a lot of love for this city. But as far as the upbringing part goes, I feel like I'm so far removed from that, man, that I'm so stuck in the right now and moving forward that overall it's just a blessing to be able to wake up and play basketball every day. Q. Jimmy, what's your favorite Kobe Bryant memory from the All-Star Weekends? JIMMY BUTLER: Man, just seeing him and Bron go at it. I think any time you get to witness two of the greatest who ever played the game compete against each other, smiling while they're doing it, and knowing that this game doesn't count as much, always special. Q. On his fondness for Chicago: JIMMY BUTLER: Man, this city's done a lot for me. To me, kids are so important, and I love this city. So every time I come back, I try to do as much as I can with them. Just knowing when you have a professional athlete that's there that you can see their face and you're doing so many different things with them, I think it means the world to those kids, and it's definitely pointing them in the right direction. Q. Jimmy, can you talk a little bit about the competitive level of an All-Star Game? Sometimes these things start off as a lot of fun, but then the competitiveness kicks in. When does that happen? JIMMY BUTLER: I don't know. I think you talk about it before the game, during the game, but at some point in time, it does pick up a little bit. It is supposed to be fun, though. Obviously, nobody wants to get injured. So whenever it does pick up, you've got guys out there competing. Q. Say they add a one-on-one tournament next year and you get to choose the person you play against, who would you choose? JIMMY BUTLER: Bam [Adebayo]. Q. And then who's the best trash talker you've ever faced? JIMMY BUTLER: Bam. Q. And then lastly, next week -- no, don't say it. Next week there's a big fight between Wilder and Fury. Who do you got between those two? JIMMY BUTLER: Whoever Bam got. Q. What's it like to play in Chicago for the Bulls? JIMMY BUTLER: It's incredible. Chicago fans, they love their teams through the good and through the bad, obviously. Like I said, this is where my NBA career started. I still have homes here. I'm always here during the summertime. I've got a lot of love for this city, and I'm so fortunate that this city still has a lot of love for me. Q. On possibly playing in the Olympics: JIMMY BUTLER: I mean, there's always an opportunity, and it would be a definite blessing to be able to do it, but it's all about seeing what's going on at the time, health, all of that good stuff. It would be a blessing to play, but also, I want to actually get to spend some time with the family as well. Q. You say you're close to Chicago, especially with you being back in the city, doing community work. How special is it for you to be back in the city? JIMMY BUTLER: So special. More special because I get to go back and see kids that I had seen during the first six years of my career. Like I said earlier, this community still has a huge impact on me. They embraced the kid whenever I first got here, helped me grow into becoming the man that I am, and for me to be able to give back to the community, go see these kids and show them I don't play for the Bulls anymore, but I'm still here in this community, to me, that's where my heart lies. Q. Jimmy, you have three teammates playing tonight. How excited are you for them? Do you have any expectations for them? JIMMY BUTLER: Who we got? We got Bam, D.J. [Derrick Jones], and Duncan [Robinson], yeah. I'm excited for these guys, as I tell them all the time when we're back in Miami, I think they're a huge part in our success, and I'm so happy for them. Obviously, I want those guys to win, but if they don't, it's okay. I think it's a privilege and an opportunity to be acknowledged and even to be out there competing with the guys that they're competing against, but if I had to put my money on somebody, I'd put it on my guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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