Jimmy Butler is currently rumored to be on the chopping block! Having made an extension request that may not follow through, the player is highly expected to be traded away by the Miami side after half a decade. Today, however, he is taking a break from all this speculation and putting his money to the front in a high-stakes poker game. Making an appearance at the Hustler Casino in LA, the Heat star joined a game that also played host to Ryan Garcia and Neymar. With just the look of this lineup, things were bound to get interesting sooner or later. Fortunately, fans didn’t have to wait long.

The event, officially billed as the “Legends Of The Felt”, is being live-streamed for viewers from around the world. During the game, the pot value on the table reached $122,000. As Jimmy Butler chose not to fold, celebrated poker player Dan Bilzerian got into a verbal exchange with the NBA star. He offered Butler $10k if he agreed to fold. The player refused, stating that he himself contributed more than that to the pot. He couldn’t shy away from his “It’s not about the money, it’s about winning and losing” principle.

It’s a good thing that Butler did not budge, as the final card on the table was a 7 of clubs. The Miami Heat veteran secured the full house and the six-figure amount to his name. By securing the pot, Jimmy did not just gain bragging rights over Bilzerian, but also his close pal, Neymar. After all, it was only one day ago, when responding to the Al Hilal star’s “I love you” message, when he stated, “All that and you still losing to me at poker tomm.”

Jimmy Butler and Neymar notably go back a long way, with the NBA star crediting the foundation of their friendship because of the love and admiration they show towards each other’s families. The soccer veteran was present at quite a few games when the Heat were in the NBA Finals and on the other hand Butler also took the time out to attend Neymar’s child’s gender-reveal party.

During an interview with The Guardian, JB stated, “I see him as a brother, you know what I mean? I’ll fly anywhere to go watch my brother play. It’s a real family vibe around him.” Butler has even taken to Instagram to honor the soccer star calling him one of his “brothers for life.” While such a friendship may exist in any other corner of the world, it is not something to be held when handling cards and chips at a poker table!

Jimmy Butler will strictly compete in any card game, even UNO!

Having been an NBA player for over 13 years, Jimmy Butler has certainly developed a strong competitive personality. His urge to win is not just witnessed on the court, but outside it as well. The same was seen during the high-stakes poker game, just as it was seen when the player engaged in a round of ‘UNO’.

Back in 2019, The Athletic reporter Shandel Richardson received the chance to interview the then-newly inducted Miami Heat star. He recalled how, when playing a round of UNO against him, Butler would finish tearing the plastic wrapping, open up the card deck, and say “the ‘janky’ ones must go.” He would take out the fan favorite ‘Wild Shuffle’ and ‘Wild Customizable’ cards, and shuffle the deck with the skills of a “Las Vegas blackjack dealer”.

While many would consider UNO to be a game of luck, it is not a belief that the experienced veteran holds. “It is a skill game. Man, what? It’s not luck,” said Butler. “Whenever you play when it’s more (people), you can tell what an individual has in his hands. There’s four cards of every number in every color in the deck. Once you realize what cards have been played and you keep up with it, like I can play another eight knowing you don’t have an eight. Then you just play the possibilities.” If one ever gets the chance to meet Jimmy Butler in his/her lifetime, they better make sure to not come along with a deck of cards in their pocket!

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.