Jimmy Butler Draft: Boston Celtics missed on picking 6x All-Star in 2011 NBA draft
Jimmy Butler may not have been a high draft pick, but his talent and work ethic defy expectations. In the 2011 NBA draft, he was chosen by the Chicago Bulls as the 30th overall pick.
Interestingly enough, the Boston Celtics had the 25th and 27th picks in that same draft and could have drafted him. It was ultimately Boston's loss for passing on this future superstar who has consistently proved himself on both ends of the court.
Instead, the Celtics opted to choose JaJuan Johnson, a 6-foot-10 forward who appeared in 36 games in the NBA. Johnson was out of the league after a year, while Jimmy Butler has established himself as one of the best players.
Jimmy Butler wasn't a great prospect before the 2011 NBA draft
Jimmy Butler was certainly a late bloomer. He was a projected second-round pick in the 2011 NBA draft and many scouts believed that being a role player was his ceiling. However, the 6-7 swingman is one of the best players in the league in 2023.
Butler was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, where he was eventually named the Most Improved Player of the Year in 2015. Butler spent his first six years in the Windy City, although he could have gone to Boston.
The Celtics chose MarShon Brooks with the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, passing on Jimmy Butler. Brooks was quickly traded to the New Jersey Nets for the 27th pick in the draft and a future second-round pick.
In essence, the Celtics had two opportunities to select Butler through the draft.
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With the 27th pick, however, the Nets selected forward JaJuan Johnson for the Celtics. Johnson was a great two-way player who spent four years at Purdue, but his skills didn't translate into the NBA.
Johnson's stint in the NBA was limited to a mere 36 games, yielding only an average of 3.2 points per game, most of which were scored in the garbage time. His professional basketball career faded out within one year.
MarShon Brooks' career was slightly better. He spent five years in the league, playing for six different teams and averaging 8.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. However, Brooks was out of the league at the age of 30.
In contrast, Butler has emerged as an exceptional asset who excels equally on both offense and defense.
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The 2011 NBA draft had many great players, such as Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard. However, Jimmy Butler certainly is the best 30th pick in the league's history.