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Jimmy Butler Rejected Invitation To Replace KD In All-Star Game Because Bam Wasn’t Voted In

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler were two of the main reasons why the Miami Heat were one of the biggest surprises of the 2019-2020 season.

On top of that, the two have become good friends ever since Butler has joined the Heat. This friendship now reportedly caused Butler to reject his All-Star invitation.

When Kevin Durant had to cancel his All-Star participation due to being injured, many of the All-Star busts were rumored to be his replacement. Trae Young, Domantas Sabonis, who ended up becoming his replacement, and also Jimmy Butler.

It turns out though, that Butler originally should have replaced KD, but the Heat star apparently declined out of loyalty to Bam Adebayo. Butler thought Adebayo would have been a deserving All-Star, and he didn’t want to go to Atlanta without him.

Per Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports Network:

“For those who were sort of questioning why Jimmy wasn’t named to the All-Star team when Durant went out and it was Sabonis, I can tell you that the NBA wanted to name him to the All-Star team.

You know basically what he made known to the NBA? He wasn’t going unless Bam was going.”