I went back to Marquette | Jimmy Butler

Y'all don't know what y'all do for this university, for this city, because we're way bigger than the Bucs. I'm just going to say that right now. And y'all are a big part of the reason why kids want to come here and be great. Thank you for everybody that put this on. I'm in the back enjoying. Hopefully I get to y'all's level one of these days. So thank you.

I remember most about Jimmy as a student is he was just lighthearted and always kind of cracking jokes. He was the first to come in and high-five all the staff or kind of lighten the mood. So, you know, academics isn't always the most fun place to spend time, but Jimmy always made the best of it and just kind of brightened everyone's day being here.

Yeah, he liked being his own man and comfortable in his own shoes and loved to get reactions out of people, and that That was a good way to get started and get to know the real Jimmy Butler.

You're just saying things to get attention now, Andy. You're just saying things to get attention.

Maybe one of the first times that Jimmy came back, he had not yet picked up his diploma. And so I think at this point it had been almost about a year and a half, 2 years. We badgered him for a really, really long time about, "Go pick it up, go pick it up." And he kept saying, "No, that's okay, that's okay. Why does it matter?

Why does it matter?" You know, that's everything we work for here is academic achievements. And like, how do you not want that diploma, that like piece of paper to solidify everything you've accomplished.

And I think ultimately he realized how important it was, maybe from the pressure that we were putting on, but he also acknowledged the fact that when he first joined the NBA, he was like one of the few people even on his team with a degree.

The other things that we, um, always loved about Jimmy was the fact that he was just, again, so comfortable in his own skin. Then we'd always laugh about how his playlist was very unique. All the guys when they'd travel would be wearing their headphones and listening to music on the plane, and if you lifted up Jimmy's headphones, you know, you'd hear Rascal Flatts or Luke Bryan or somebody like that. And it used to tickle everybody about the fact that this kid was this big country music fan, and he was just Jimmy, and that everybody, appreciated and loved the fact that that's who he was and was real comfortable just being his own unique self.

You don't have to put some college. Where is it?

Yeah, what did you ever do with your diploma?

Did you frame it?

What did you do with it?

Oh man.

Where is it?

Jimmy Butler Iii. I do not know where that diploma is. You don't need the diploma though. You don't need the diploma. Oh, go get it. You don't need it.

Jimmy, you realize who you're talking to, right?

I'm saying like you don't need the actual piece of paper.

Oh, when you get a job someday, Jimmy, you're gonna need it 'cause they're gonna want a copy of it.

I'm going to McDonald's. Oh, hey, yeah, we talking about diplomas and stuff, girl. You know how that is.

Is it weird like that you do come back and it's like same people still there?

Yeah.

Yeah.

To tell the truth, everybody was like, yo, you know, I can see you being a coach whenever you're done playing. That's just like I would never be a teacher 'cause I knew what my teachers had to deal with with me. Yeah, no, I would never put myself through that. So I would never be a coach 'cause I know what they gotta deal with with me. Like, no. 'Cause if a kid say something crazy to me, I'm gonna try my best to kick you upside your head. Got your hand in, girl.

Shit.

Damn, Barbie strong. Goddamn. Oh, hi, you over here. I'm Jimmy Butler.

I know.

What is wrong with you? She a jerk. Let's go do some media right quick. Show y'all Rooks how to do it. Act like you got some energy in this motherfucker. All right, Marquette fans, get up, get loud! All right, Marquette students, get up, we need you, get loud! How you doing? How are you? I saw a picture, I saw you up on the website.

How you doing?

I'm good, how are you doing, sir? Well, thank you. Good to see you. But yeah, they can— Head it up, okay. Look, man, I dressed the part too, man. I got on slacks, black shoes. Those are slacks? Yeah, swaggy swags. I mean, swaggy slacks. I used to come in here and run this shit. Yo, yo, all students, I'm in here to eat. Get the fuck out. Oh, shit, man.

How are you?

Good.

How are you? This is weird. This is red carpet, man. Appreciate it, bro. I ain't messing with you. You acting up.

Who, me?

Ain't nobody.

I'm so proud of you. Appreciate you, baby. It's a joy to see you. Come on, man. Come on.

You see Auntie Angel up there? We're here for her.

For all you going for Marquette Athletics. Go Marquette!

Teach me, teach me. You got to teach me. Teach me. Okay, so paper scissors shoot.

He did this and I—

and I— no, no, no, no. But I'm saying, what if I do rock and you do paper? Scissors beats paper. Rock beats scissors. So what does paper beat?

Hold up, hold up. Just don't you do it yet. Okay, paper scissors shoot later because, because that actually is I'm getting a headache.

A headache? Hey man, hey George V. How you doing, man? Glad to meet you. What's your name? My name is Johnny Miller.

Oh, where do you live?

I live in Milwaukee. What you're looking at here, I'm from 1970, and this my brother. What year was that again, man? When I graduated, 2011.

2011?

2011. What's that, 40, 41 years? I'm the man, right? Right?

She led Marquette to its first NCAA tournament win in December of that year with a match-high 17 kills against a ranked Western Kentucky team.

I just got mad again watching those highlights from Minnesota. We lost in 5. I was pissed after that. Oh, it just brought back memories about it. We lost in 5, 15-13. Missed 2 serves. Now when I get back to Howard and we're at camp, I'm gonna focus on serving with everybody because that's what you need.— to win a match.

So— A second-team All-American in 2009, McNeil was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2007.

I want to thank and congratulate all the other inductees. So we got Jose, Christopher— Look at him. Kaylee, Natalie, Sierra, and— hey, Rob. How's she doing? That shit, that shit.

Finished her career with 1,699 points, 7th all-time at Marquette.

Now, in for the remaining football player, Angel Robinson.

Man, I'm nervous. I gotta tweet now. All right, we've been here for a while, so I'm gonna keep it short. I do need to shout out another close friend of mine, Jimmy Butler Iii, because this man, he works so hard. Worked so hard. I'm very thankful that he, as everybody was saying yesterday at the barbecue, like, you've been all over the place, this Jimmy Butler world tour. You didn't have to come here for this, so I really appreciate it. You just came from working in Spain, and I can't even thank you enough. I know you don't even— we don't even get emotional with each other, but I do love you, bro. Actually, I think maybe Big K wanna come up here and say something.

First of all, don't do that.

No? But I will.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I just felt like as I'm sitting in the back, realize how great I'm really not. I've got an opportunity to go to school with everybody except for two, Jose and Jim. But I'm not saying y'all are old, I'm just saying I didn't really go to school with y'all. I'm sure it was great. You know, you're coming here to school and you're thinking like, man, I want to be the impact that they are. And it's crazy because all they do is talk about how great and how everybody has influenced them. And they're not saying, I did this. Well, y'all put yourself in this situation. All the praise that y'all are giving to everybody else, y'all deserve 3 times, 4 times, 5 times that much amount of praise because— Thank you. Y'all did this. Thank you for setting a high bar for myself to make me the person that I am today. To be able to hear and speak, and this has absolutely nothing to do with me today, now that I think about it. And whatever sport they choose to excel in, they're going to look up there at those leaderboards and see y'all's names and not mine.

Revenant.

Revenant, it's okay. Because I really wasn't that good when I was here. But y'all were great, and that's why they're honoring y'all tonight, and never forget that. Thank you for everybody that put this on. I'm in the back enjoying. Hopefully I get to y'all's level one of these days. So, thank you. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]