What college did Jimmy Butler go to? Looking at Heat's superstar stats in his early days of basketball

Jimmy Butler's college career was not as amazing as the college careers of many other NBA stars. However, he worked hard and improved every single season, which is why he was a first-round pick in the 2011 NBA draft.

The swingman played for Tyler Junior College as a freshman. Considering that he was born and raised in Texas, it's no surprise that he played for a local public community college. However, he eventually accepted a scholarship to play at Marquette.

Butler was too good of a player to play in the NJCAA, which is why he moved to the NCAA's Division I. The player eventually found a lot of success in the top division, leading his team to many big victories.

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Jimmy Butler played college basketball for two different teams

As a freshman at Tyler, the young basketball player averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. His amazing performances caught the attention of Division I programs, with Marquette offering him a scholarship.

At the time, Jimmy Butler was a two-star prospect, according to 247Sports. He was ranked as the 14th-best player in Texas and the 13th best-small forward in his class. However, he turned out to be much better.

Jimmy Butler's college stats were great at Marquette (Image via Getty Images)

Jimmy Butler's college stats were not immediately great. In his first season with the Marquette Golden Eagles, the young star averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He was a bench player who played under 20 minutes per game.

Butler was promoted to a starter in his second year at Marquette, improving his averages to 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. The young player was also great on defense, especially on the perimeter, and he hit several clutch shots.

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Despite Butler's great performances, the Golden Eagles were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In fact, they won only one tournament game in his first two seasons.

Butler was the 30th pick by the Chicago Bulls (Image via Getty Images)

In his third and final season with the Golden Eagles, the young star increased his scoring average to 15.7 points per game. Marquette finished the season with a 22-15 record, entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed.

Butler and his team managed to eliminate No. 6 Xavier in the first round and No. 3 Syracuse in the second round. However, they were eliminated by the second-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the Sweet Sixteen.

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In three years at Marquette, Butler averaged 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Interestingly, Dwyane Wade, another Miami Heat legend, attended Marquette a few years before Butler.