Butler offers strong endorsement of Boylen, says Chicago is still home
Jimmy Butler rarely speaks to reporters before games, but made an exception Wednesday at the United Center. Inside the visiting locker room, Butler offered a ringing endorsement of Bulls coach Jim Boylen.
As an assistant to Fred Hoiberg, Boylen spent two seasons working with Butler before the all-star forward was traded to Minnesota. Butler was then sent to Philadelphia early this season.
"I think Jim's a great coach, a great human being," Butler said. "Fred too, man. Fred was an incredible person. I'm happy for Jim. He studies the game incredibly hard. He would teach me a lot of things, show me a lot of things whenever I was here.
"I think it's going to be great for the young group of guys that they have here., because I know that he works and I know that he studies the game and he wants to win. I think this city of all cities definitely deserves that."
Butler said he had a conversation with Boylen about five minutes before walking into the Sixers locker room pregame.
"He's honest and he's real, all the time," Butler said. "That's what I loved about him. That's who I am in a nutshell as well and I think that's why we clicked. That's why we get along. That's why we were able to have a couple glasses of wine together when I was here."
Naturally, Boylen had nice things to say about Butler before the former Bull's second game as a visiting player in Chicago.
"He's one of the toughest guys I've ever coached," Boylen said. "I love competitive people. He cares about his craft. There's no one who does more in the summer. I also know there's a softer side to that guy. He's an unbelievable friend and mentor and giving person. I think he's in a good place, though, and he's going to have a chance to get a ring."
Still love for Thibs:
Even though Jimmy Butler essentially forced himself out of Minnesota early this season, he still had plenty of nice things to say about former coach Tom Thibodeau. Butler said Thibodeau called him earlier in the day.
"Thibs is a big part of - and you can tell I'm smiling because it's the truth - he's a big part of who I am today as a player," Butler said. "He gave me an opportunity, after not letting play at all my first couple years. But then he saw something in me and he let me rock a little bit. That's my guy. He's always in my ear."
Of course, Thibodeau was fired by Minnesota not long after the Butler trade. Butler thinks his former coach works too hard not to get another chance to coach in the NBA.
"He's one of the smartest human beings that I know," Butler said. "He knows his faults. You live with those and die with those. I'm cool with it, he's cool with it. He's going to be who he is. But at the end of the day, he wins."
Butler finds happiness:
Jimmy Butler also talked about why he's happier in Philadelphia than he was in Minnesota.
"It's not nearly as cold. I think that's the reason," he said. "It was cold as I don't know what in Minnesota. There's a lot of things that go into it, but I know the (friends) I'm around on a daily basis, they really enjoy Philly too."
"We've got a great group of guys in the locker room. Then behind the scenes, you're talking PR, coaches, ticket sales, everybody - they're all smiling, they're all happy, so that makes it a lot easier to be here."
Butler spent six years with the Bulls and returned as a visiting player for the first time last season with the Timberwolves. He spent a long time in the hallways before the game, hugging and greeting Bulls employees.
"This is still home. I love it here," Butler said. "I think everybody knows that. I'll be back a lot during the summer."