Jimmy Butler knew he could play in the League after watching Lance Stephenson hoop.
Stephenson, currently toiling away in China, appeared to take offense at Butler’s assessement of his game.
Jimmy says he’s happy to settle this most unexpected feud of the young NBA season with a one-on-one battle.
Per The Sun-Sentinel (via the “Winging It” podcast):
“I was watching guys play, and I was like, ‘I know I’m not that good of a basketball player, but I know I can make it if this guy can make it,’ ” Butler reminisced. “I always saw Lance Stephenson. I saw him, and I was like, ‘Nah man, if he in the league then I can be in the league. He is a talented-a– player, don’t get me wrong, but if he can do it, I can do it.”
Butler initially attempted to blow off Stephenson’s post after the Heat completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center, before opening up.
“I’m not worried about him,” Butler said. “They asked me a question, I answered the question. Take it for how you want to take it. If he wants a one-on-one battle, I’m all for it. I don’t think at this point, this is just me being honest, right now, me in my career, he in his, he’s not better than me. So, I’m willing to play one-on-one if that’s what, I don’t know, he wants to see, the world wants to see, whatever.
“I’m not intimidated by his tweet. I don’t think it was so much personal, that’s just how I thought back then. I don’t think the same way now, only because I know that I’m a better player.”
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