It Seems That Jimmy Butler Was Destined To Carry The Torch After Dwyane Wade Retired

The Miami Heat is on a two-game winning streak and has been sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference for quite some time now. This young squad has been demonstrating a whole lot of maturity and attitude as it has been raising eyebrows throughout the league, and Jimmy Butler is giving us some serious D-Wade feels.

It seems Erik Spoelstra has been able to properly instill that Heat culture into his men. Both starters and bench/role players have been showing reliability throughout this beginning of the season.

Apart from good coaching, this is also thanks in part to good leadership from key players like Jimmy Butler. The new face of the Heat team has been leading the youth by example with a business-first mentality and it appears that he is looking to make a certain Heat legend proud. 

Jimmy Butler recently sat down with the Players' Tribune to talk about a variety of topics. One of the clips that may have stood out the most from this interview was the one where Butler gushes about his former teammate, Dwyane Wade. 

Not only do the two future Hall-of-Famers have plenty in common in the basketball world but it is clear that they have grown a very strong and meaningful relationship. 

It should be noted that Butler is saying every correct syllable in this video as far as Heat fans are concerned. Statements like "now I get to rep for this city as well," and "you have to be a special talent and special human being to play for Miami," is exactly the kind of stuff Heat fans want to hear from their star player and team captain. 

While it appears this relationship (or mentorship) between the two Marquette alumni began during Wade's brief stint at Chicago while Butler was still playing in the windy city, it certainly did not end there. 

We tend to agree with Wade's sentiment that Butler "does not have to worry about filling his shoes." Jimmy Butler, no matter how great of a talent he is, will never do what Dwyane Wade did for this city. However, Butler can definitely aspire to lead the team in Wade's absence. Butler has the blueprint and the guidance of Miami's former hero. 

Who better to carry the torch from Dwyane Wade than a former Marquette baller who has years of mentoring from Wade himself under his belt?

It seems only fitting to us that Jimmy Butler takes the reigns at the Heat in this particular season after Wade is "officially" retired. 

Butler and the rest of the Heat take to the court tonight as they visit defending champs Toronto raptors. Tip-off at the Scotiabank Arena starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.