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Jimmy Butler once bullied both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins while on his way off of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Oh, how the tables have turned.
Years later, Wiggins is an NBA champion, having won with the Golden State Warriors in 2022 as a key role player. Towns is, too, after the New York Knicks dispatched the San Antonio Spurs in this year's NBA Finals on Saturday night. And Butler? He's still without a championship, despite two separate finals appearances this decade.
No one can ever say the basketball gods don't have a vicious sense of humor.
Purely to play devil's advocate, Butler may have thought he was simply trying to help his young teammates in Towns and Wiggins grow up and become better players. I don't know why he believed calling them "soft" after an infamous, explosive team scrimmage would've helped in that mission. Still, given the context of Butler's career ever since all three were in Minnesota, you can definitely connect the dots this way.
But that's the thing about being a teammate who is actually invested in someone's growth and about one who was (still is?) more toxic than we realize. You don't build people up by tearing them down. You don't burn every bridge on your way out. You give them confidence. You reassure them. You don't use them as a conduit to your own personal and individual goals. Butler's approach, regardless of whether he really cared, was never the path.
I'm not necessarily one to believe in the concept of "karma," but it sure feels like some, in basketball form, might have been doled out between these three former Timberwolves over the last few years. After all, most would likely recognize Butler as having had a better career than both Towns and Wiggins to this stage.
Yet, here the 36-year-old Butler is, ringless, while these two young gentlemen he once stepped over have both achieved a lifelong dream he might never realize. What a twist.
All three were Timberwolves from 2017-2018. Butler was the first to leave after being traded in November 2018. Wiggins would later follow after being traded in February 2020 to the Warriors. Towns was the last to leave Minnesota after he was traded to the Knicks in October 2024.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins won NBA title before Jimmy Butler after bullying
Continue reading...
Years later, Wiggins is an NBA champion, having won with the Golden State Warriors in 2022 as a key role player. Towns is, too, after the New York Knicks dispatched the San Antonio Spurs in this year's NBA Finals on Saturday night. And Butler? He's still without a championship, despite two separate finals appearances this decade.
No one can ever say the basketball gods don't have a vicious sense of humor.
Purely to play devil's advocate, Butler may have thought he was simply trying to help his young teammates in Towns and Wiggins grow up and become better players. I don't know why he believed calling them "soft" after an infamous, explosive team scrimmage would've helped in that mission. Still, given the context of Butler's career ever since all three were in Minnesota, you can definitely connect the dots this way.
But that's the thing about being a teammate who is actually invested in someone's growth and about one who was (still is?) more toxic than we realize. You don't build people up by tearing them down. You don't burn every bridge on your way out. You give them confidence. You reassure them. You don't use them as a conduit to your own personal and individual goals. Butler's approach, regardless of whether he really cared, was never the path.
I'm not necessarily one to believe in the concept of "karma," but it sure feels like some, in basketball form, might have been doled out between these three former Timberwolves over the last few years. After all, most would likely recognize Butler as having had a better career than both Towns and Wiggins to this stage.
Yet, here the 36-year-old Butler is, ringless, while these two young gentlemen he once stepped over have both achieved a lifelong dream he might never realize. What a twist.
When were Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins teammates on the Timberwolves?
All three were Timberwolves from 2017-2018. Butler was the first to leave after being traded in November 2018. Wiggins would later follow after being traded in February 2020 to the Warriors. Towns was the last to leave Minnesota after he was traded to the Knicks in October 2024.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins won NBA title before Jimmy Butler after bullying
Continue reading...
