Despite Jimmy Butler’s lacklustre regular season performance, he proved to the NBA world why he was dubbed “Playoff Jimmy” once the postseason began. Even though the Miami Heat were seeded eighth in the Eastern Conference, he led them to a shocking upset victory over the eighth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Butler helped the Heat beat the Knicks and the Celtics en route to their second NBA Finals appearance in four years. The story of Miami’s run to the Finals as the eighth seed—a squad that had to win the Play-In Tournament merely to be eligible—will live on in basketball mythology, even if the Denver Nuggets finally prevailed in five games.

This means that Butler and the Heat will have a fantastic season. Miami did not acquire Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard, two superstars who were supposedly trade bait this offseason. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, two key players from their unlikely playoff run, departed the club. For that reason, the Heat are looking to Butler, a 34-year-old, to repeat their level of success from the previous season.

Butler was chosen as the cover star for the 2023-24 NBA Preview edition of Sports Illustrated for all of these reasons and more.

James Harden is “one of the most transcendent players in the NBA today, an elite talent with a unique personality and voice on and off the court,” said Sports Illustrated’s editor-in-chief Stephen Cannella. We wanted an interesting insider’s take for Sports Illustrated’s upcoming NBA season coverage. Plus, Jimmy is equally at home discussing tennis and basketball, so you know he’s got it all.