Butler named All-Star starter for East
After being named an all-star starter for the first time in his NBA career, Jimmy Butler held a quick conference call with reporters to share his feelings.
Of course, he was asked about his progression from being the No. 30 pick of the 2011 draft and barely playing as a rookie to three-time all-star and first-time starter.
"Why do you always want to remind me that I wasn't a good player at one point of my career?" Butler said, perhaps only half-jokingly "Everyone has their own story. Everybody has a different path to get to where they're trying to get to.
"I'm no different than anybody else. I just worked hard, put in the time and became a decent player. I will tell you when I was starting my NBA career, I wasn't very good. I'll tell you that. Now to be named a starter shows the work that I put in."
Butler will join Cleveland's LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo in the East lineup for the Feb. 19 game in New Orleans.
When asked his memories of watching NBA legends from years past play in the All-Star Game, Butler provided a glimpse of why he was a late bloomer. After finishing high school in Tomball, Tex., he spent one year at a junior college, moved on to Marquette, didn't play much his first year and wasn't ever a big scorer for the Golden Eagles.
"Back then I didn't really pay too much attention to (the NBA All-Star Game)," Butler said in Atlanta, where the Bulls will play the Hawks on Friday. "For one, I think I loved football way more than basketball at that point in time. Two, I always say - and no matter what you guys say I mean it - I never thought this would be in the cards for me, let alone being an NBA player.
"It wasn't in the picture for me until probably like my senior year in college. So that was way far removed whenever Michael Jordan and all those guys were being named all-star starters."
Butler said he wouldn't participate in any of the contests so he can get as much rest as possible and be ready for the second half of the season.
"It's fun, man," he said of the all-star experience. "You get to know the other really good players in the league and you get to know a little bit about them. And the experience that you get to be a part of, whether it be the Jordan party or taking your guys with you everywhere. That's the most fun part for me - my trainers, my brothers, everybody that's behind the scenes helping me gets to experience it, too."
The NBA changed the rules for selecting all-star starters this year and it benefited Butler. It used to be strictly a fan vote and if that was the case this year, Dwyane Wade would be a starting guard and Butler would have been beaten out by Philadelphia's Joel Embiid. Cleveland's Kevin Love also got more votes from fans than Butler.
Now the fan vote counts for 50 percent, while player and media voting counts 25 percent each. Butler barely beat out Indiana's Paul George for the third frontcourt spot in the player vote, but finished third by a wide margin in the media vote.
Butler is averaging 24.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season He's been named to the NBA all-defensive second team three times.
"I think Jimmy's resume speaks for itself with what he's done, what he's added," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said after Thursday's practice at the Advocate Center. "He's averaging 25 points a game. His assists are up. His steals are up. His rebounds are up. He's doing it every way possible. Obviously, Jimmy is one of the elite defenders in the league and has become a complete offensive player. Nobody in this game puts as much time and effort in their game, especially in their offseason, as Jimmy does. That's the reason he's where he's at in his career right now."
The West starters are Golden State's Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, Houston's James Harden, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and New Orleans' Anthony Davis. In a twist of fate, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, who is on pace to become the first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62, was not named a starter.
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Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena, 7 p.m. Friday
TV: WGN
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: This has been a bad matchup for the Bulls the past few seasons. They've lost five in a row to the Hawks and four straight in Atlanta, including a 115-107 defeat on Nov. 9, despite 39 points from Jimmy Butler. Al Horford and Kyle Korver have moved on, but the Hawks (24-18) have won nine of 11 and are back in the top four in the Eastern Conference. PF Paul Millsap is the team's top scorer at 17.8 ppg, followed closely by PG Dennis Schroder (17.3). C Dwight Howard seems to be enjoying life in his hometown, averaging 13.7 points and 13.0 rebounds. SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (12.0 ppg) has become a valuable piece off the bench. Two ex-Bulls, Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Dunleavy, play minor roles.
Next: Sacramento Kings at the United Center, 8 p.m. Saturday
- Mike McGraw