"Little motherf****r is good at almost everything": Jimmy Butler opens up on admiration for Neymar Jr. & praises his family values  

Jimmy Butler and Neymar Jr. first met at the 2016 Olympics, where Butler represented Team USA and Neymar Jr. Brazil. They hit it off, with Butler attending Neymar's match for Brazil. The two connected further at dinner, becoming friends from peers as professional athletes.

Since then, Butler has attended other matches where Neymar Jr. has played nationally and at the club level. On the flip side, Neymar Jr. has also supported Butler's basketball career.

Last year, for example, when Butler won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy, Neymar Jr. congratulated his friend on the achievement on social media. In addition, when the Miami Heat were playing in the 2023 NBA Finals, Butler and Neymar Jr. were seen getting shots up pre-game.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Butler heaped praise for Neymar Jr.:

“He’s [obviously] a great footballer. He’s actually pretty good at basketball, too. Actually, now that I think about it, that little motherfucker is good at almost everything.”

"I see him as a brother" - Jimmy Butler opens up on close friendship with Neymar Jr.

Long before Jimmy Butler and Neymar Jr. were friends, Butler was a fan of the legendary footballer.

In addition to his incredible highlight reel, Neymar most notably won the 2015 and 2017 FIFA Ballon d'Or awards. Now, in the second half of his career after over ten years at the top, Neymar Jr. is playing for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.

Despite the distance, Butler has made it clear that wherever Neymar plays, he will travel. Speaking in the previously mentioned interview, Butler opened up on how traveling to watch Neymar play entails much more than just competition.

“I see him as a brother, you know what I mean? And I’ll go support, he knows this. I’ll fly anywhere to go watch my brother play. But whenever I do get there, we’re always just kicking it, talking about life, FaceTiming each other’s kids. It’s a real family vibe around him, and around all the people that I’m around.”

Should Butler and the Miami Heat, who currently sit in fifth in the East, make another playoff run, fans can likely expect Neymar to appear. The Saudi Pro League runs from August to May, meaning Neymar's season will wind down as Butler's postseason heats up.