Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler showed a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York that he has skills that go beyond the basketball court.
The 33-year-old NBA player was highlighted at the U.S. Open's Stars of the Open on Wednesday night -- an exhibition match featuring some of the biggest names in tennis to benefit Ukraine relief efforts. The event featured a rematch of the 2022 U.S. Open semifinals between American Frances Tiafoe and world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Butler, however, wanted to shoot his shot with the stars. His first foe was Alcaraz.
Butler went up to the baseline to face the U.S. Open defending champion and told him to "do a fast one so I could show you I could hit it back." In tennis terms, Butler was requesting Alcaraz to serve at full speed.
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Alcaraz popped it into the box to which Butler responded, "Nah-uh, that's not going to cut it."
After a six-shot rally, Butler ripped a forehand crosscourt to which Alcaraz stretched out but went on to miss the response in the net.
Tennis
Shortly after, Butler became the featured match's ballboy.
The NBA forward, who was decked out in standard U.S. Open ballboy gear -- a navy Ralph Lauren kit with neon yellow and green stripe, was seen grabbing Tiafoe's tennis ball from the ground then proceeded to run after the 2022 U.S. Open semifinalist who then runs away in fear. The 6-foot-7 NBA star then drops the ball on the baseline and the two share a laugh.
Butler's appearance in New York comes just three months after the Heat defeated the New York Knicks in the NBA Playoffs' Eastern Conference semifinals.
Butler has a seemingly close relationship with women's tennis star American Coco Gauff.
At the 2023 French Open, Gauff said Butler offered her tickets to see the Heat's last regular-season game in early April. Later, she said he sent her a direct message to ask whether she wanted seats for the postseason, too.
“I said, ‘I won’t be here. I'll be in Madrid and then Rome and then France,'” she recounted, mentioning the sites of tournaments. “And then he said, ‘OK, when we make the Finals, let me know if your family wants some tickets.’ So this was before we were even in the playoffs.”
The U.S. Open is set to kick off on Monday, August 28 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
