Star Jimmy Butler has managed to lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals, and there’s no doubt that this is an amazing accomplishment. It is clear that his qualities as a leader have played into the team’s success.

Former Los Angeles Lakers player and NBA great Magic Johnson recently compared Jimmy Butler’s leadership style to his own. The Heat’s participation in the Finals, according to Johnson, is a result of their “team first” approach.

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“Team first,” Johnson said, per Josh Peter of USA Today. “Winning first. Making your teammates first. All those things were first for me and first for (Butler).

“That’s why the Heat are in the NBA Finals, and so Jimmy has lifted the play of all his teammates around him. He’s made them better. And because he’s the hardest worker on the team, those guys follow that. He’s tough as nails, so they follow that.”

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“They knew I was all about winning,” Johnson said. “I didn’t care how many points I scored. I didn’t care how many shots I took. I just wanted to win. … So that’s how we are alike. And then we could take the game over when we wanted to take it over when it was winning time.”

Jimmy Butler has been averaging 27.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 5.8 APG for the Miami Heat throughout the playoffs. Miami will depend on him to routinely perform on that end in the Finals since it is obvious that he is their offensive fulcrum, making things simpler for everyone else.

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There is no doubt that after this Finals run, the way most people view Jimmy Butler has changed. In fact, an NBA scout revealed that he now considers Jimmy Butler a top 10 player in the league.

“Before this run, I would have said he’s a top 20 player in the league,” the scout told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “He’s got to be top 10. His competitiveness is top three, the will to win is All NBA quality. And he does it when it counts. A little surprised where he has gotten them. His record speaks for itself.”

Jimmy Butler’s perception could change even further in the future if he wins the 2023 NBA championship. It is definitely an uphill climb, but one should never count him out.