"All that and you still losing to me at poker tomm" - Jimmy Butler's comedic response to Neymar's 'I love u' post
Jimmy Butler is in Los Angeles as he enjoys the offseason with football star Neymar Jr. Butler had a hilarious response to Neymar's story, which showed how close the two athletes are. They have been friends since 2017 and even attended each other's games.
In a post on his official Instagram stories, Neymar shared a photo of himself with Butler wearing matching t-shirts. He even told the Miami Heat star, "I love u." The six-time NBA All-Star responded to the message by bragging about beating the Brazilian star in poker.
"All that and you still losing to me at poker tomm," Butler wrote.
Jimmy Butler and Neymar Jr. seem to be in good spirits and both look like they have recovered from their respective injuries. Butler missed the Miami Heat's first-round playoff matchup against the Boston Celtics with a sprained MCL in his right knee.
Butler initially wanted to play in the series against the eventual NBA champions, but was not cleared as the Heat bowed out in five games. He suffered the injury during the NBA Play-In Tournament against the Philadelphia 76ers. He landed awkwardly after a mid-air collision with Kelly Oubre Jr.
Meanwhile, Neymar suffered a ruptured ACL and a torn meniscus in his left knee back in October while on international duty with Brazil against Uruguay. His club Al-Hilal announced that he would miss the rest of the Saudi Pro League season.
They won the league despite his absence after winning 31 games and drawing three without a loss. Neymar moved to Al-Hilal last summer on a €90 million transfer, signing a two-year deal with an annual salary of €150 million.
Jimmy Butler on how he became friends with Neymar Jr.
Some might not believe this but Jimmy Butler doesn't like watching basketball. He prefers watching other sports such as football and tennis. He has been visiting Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United games over the years, while forming friendships with Neymar Jr. and Paul Pogba.
In an interview with TalkSport last year, Butler was asked about his friendship with Neymar. He explained that they met in 2017 and have been friends ever since. They often hang out in the offseason, while supporting each other by showing up live games despite the distance.
"I met Ney in 2017. I was always wearing Brazil jerseys and I would go to Paris for fashion week. Somehow, some way we just ended up connecting. We sat down for dinner, we hung out in Paris, and our relationship has grown from there. I’ve visited him in Brazil a few times," Butler said.
Jimmy Butler became a fan of Neymar when he watched him play for Brazil in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Butler was representing Team USA and won the gold medal in basketball. He saw Neymar help Brazil win the gold medal by beating Germany in the final via a penalty shootout.