Jimmy Butler arrived for the first Heat practice at 3:30 a.m., and now other players are following suit
- Jimmy Butler showed up for the first Miami Heat training camp practice at 3:30 a.m., almost seven hours before the practice actually begun.
- He's inspired other players, as Heat big man Meyers Leonard tweeted that he and center Bam Adebayo got to the gym at 3:30 a.m., so as not to be out-worked by Butler.
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Butler has a "Hall of Fame work ethic."
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Jimmy Butler has apparently set a new standard for getting in the gym early.
Butler told reporters that he arrived for the first Miami Heat practice on Tuesday at 3:30 a.m. Practice started at 10.
"Just a little extra work while y'all in your third dream. I like to get it in," Butler said (via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel). "How did I get in today? I clocked in at 3:30. You're asleep, right?"
Butler joined the Heat this summer on a four-year, $141 million contract.
Butler has apparently inspired other Heat players, as Miami big man Meyers Leonard tweeted that he and center Bam Adebayo both got up early to work out, not wanting to be out-worked by Butler.
According to Winderman, Butler was also working out at American Airlines Arena at 4 a.m. during the offseason. The time stamp on a Butler tweet from September 24 seems to confirm he is an early riser.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra described Butler as having a "Hall of Fame work ethic."
"The thing that also is notable about that is he has a Hall of Fame work ethic," Spoelstra said. "That's not something of myth. That's something that's well earned and it's real. I think he also respects that he's walking into a gym where there's several guys that are right there with him, step for step, in terms of work ethic.
"They may not be coming in at crazy hours like he comes in, but they're putting in time and putting in a lot of extra time."
Butler's schedule may not come as a surprise, considering he is close friends with Mark Wahlberg. The actor has a famous routine that includes waking up at 2:30 a.m., praying, eating breakfast, then working out from 3:40 a.m. to 5:15 a.m.
Butler said that while he enjoys the training, he's ready for the season to begin.
"I just want to compete," Butler said. "I just want to hoop. All the training is cool. But I want to get out there with my guys, talk a little bit. But more than anything, just compete."
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