?I Wouldn?t Confuse Him With LeBron James?: Stephen A. Smith?s Honest Take on Jimmy Butler as a Superstar Before the Finals Loss

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat fought bravely but lost the title 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets. Throughout the postseason, Butler made some clutch shots and led his team to the NBA Finals. Fans around the world loved the Heat star’s gritty performances as he showed no fear whatsoever in dire situations. There are, however, still doubts about his status as a superstar. Before game-5 of the Finals, Stephen A. Smith gave his two cents about Butler while comparing him to former Heat superstar, LeBron James.

After years of disappointment with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James moved to the Heat to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The trio lead the team to four straight Finals and brought two championships to Miami.

Is Jimmy Butler a superstar?

Jimmy Butler was not a superstar when he came into the league after the Chicago Bulls selected him as the 30th pick in 2011. He had to bide his time and gain the trust of his coach and teammates by playing his role and putting up a good defense. As Butler started doing the right things on the floor, he gained some momentum and started developing at a faster pace. Soon enough, he became one of the best players on the team and earned his first All-Star spot in 2015. Also, the 6-time NBA All-Star has helped the Heat to two NBA Finals after only joining the team in 2019. Many in the hoops community, however, do not consider Butler as a superstar of the league including Stephen A. Smith.

The sportscaster expressed his opinion about the forward during an episode of the Stephen A. Smith Show podcast, a few hours before game-5. During the show, Smith stated that the Denver Nuggets will win the game and clinch the title. He then noted that Butler is a star and talked about his fearlessness. He also touched on the star’s immense performances en route to the ultimate stage. However, he does not think Butler is a superstar.

Smith said, “Jimmy Butler’s got heart, he’s got game. He’s special. But I wouldn’t confuse him with LeBron James or Kevin Durant or Steph Curry. I’m not sure I would do that at least on the offensive side of the ball with Devin Booker. Tonight’s gonna show me a lot.”

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He added that Butler has been struggling to drive to the basket in the Finals when he looks at the analytics. He then listed a few other stats of the forward and questioned his status as a superstar. Even though a lot of fans would agree Butler is not on the same level as James, KD, or Curry, most would still consider him a superstar.

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Do you think Jimmy Butler is a superstar? Let us know in the comments.