Jimmy Butler's Leadership Shines By Praising Former Teammates Max Strus and Gabe Vincent

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler showcased his leadership, praising his former teammates, forward Max Strus and guard Gabe Vincent.

During his tour of China, Butler did not hesitate to show appreciation for them in an interview with CGTN Sports Scene.

“Honestly, my favorite moments are when Gabe played well when Max had a great game,” Butler said. “I love to see my teammates shine. I love to see them get rewarded after they play so incredibly well as I will miss some of the guys that are no longer my teammates anytime. When they play well, it makes me smile because I’ve known all along what they’re capable of."

🏀Jimmy #Butler x China Tour - Beijing🇨🇳

🔥The #MiamiHeat star looked back this year's #NBA Playoffs:
"The most important factor of us reaching the Finals was just teamwork"@JimmyButler's expectation:
"A championship is coming to the future in Miami."🏆@MiamiHEAT @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/9u5jqbvrqq
— CGTN Sports Scene (@CGTNSportsScene) July 17, 2023

Butler is referring to Strus and Vincent, who both agreed to contracts with other teams this summer. Strus has agreed to a four-year, $63 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Vincent has agreed on a three-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Both players had breakout seasons this year, respectively, playing major roles in the Heat’s historic playoff run before falling short to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals.
Vincent has spent the past four seasons in Miami, averaging 12.7 points and 3.5 assists on 40.2 percent shooting in this year’s playoffs. He started in 22 of 23 playoff games, securing a multi-year deal with the Lakers.
Strus played for the Heat the past three seasons, scoring over 10.5 points a game for the second straight season. He started in all 23 playoff games this year while averaging 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and shooting 31.9 percent from three-point range.
Butler still has much love for his former teammates, showing his leadership stems beyond the court. Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at anthonypasciolla36@gmail.com or follow him on Tik Tok @anthonysports_