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Jimmy Butler’s absence from the NBA All-Star roster was apparently not because he had been snubbed.
Instead, Butler reportedly chose not to go because he firmly believes his Miami Heat teammate Bam Adebayo should have been chosen.
Ethan J. Skolnick spoke with Greg Sylvander on the “Five on the Floor” podcast which dealt with a number of Heat-related issues, with Skolnick explaining why Butler’s name was missing from All-Star selections.
“For those who were kind of wondering why Jimmy wasn’t named to the All-Star squad when [Kevin] Durant came out and it was [Domantas] Sabonis, I can tell you the NBA wanted to name him (Butler) in the All-Star team, ”Skolnick said.
After prompting Sylvander to ask him the real reason, Skolnick indicated that the team’s loyalty was behind Butler’s decision.
“He wasn’t leaving unless Bam left,” Skolnick said.
Butler has been selected for the All-Star Game five times, while Adebayo won his first selection last year during his breakout campaign.
This season, Adebayo has appeared in 31 games and delivered solid numbers, averaging 19.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He also played a strong leadership role in his fourth season with the team.
Butler is in his second season with the Heat and has been widely regarded as the team manager since joining.
He has only played 21 games this year due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, but averages 20.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game .
A number of players have questioned the league’s schedule for this year’s All-Star game as the league continues to have issues related to the ongoing pandemic.
Butler’s issue with not making the contest this year is obviously more focused on supporting a teammate, a position that will likely strengthen the bond between the two Heat stars.
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