It turned out to be a special night for a young fan that attended the Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics game Tuesday (January 24).
In a video posted online before the game, the kid can be seen holding up a sign in hopes that his favorite player, Heat forward Jimmy Butler, would see it while he was warming up on the court. The boy and his sister had traveled to Miami from Argentina for the game.
“Dear Jimmy: We flew over 4,405 miles to see you play,” the sign read. “Can we get a photo or a Big Face coffee?” Big Face is the name of the coffee brand Butler founded in 2021.
It turns out, however, that only an hour before the game was set to begin, the Heat announced that Butler was put on the injured list. He was having tightness in his lower back and couldn’t play. In the video, an official from the arena goes up to the kid and his sister and lets them know that Butler will not be playing. The kid’s disappointment is evident when he hears the news. He drops his sign and puts his hands on his head in complete shock.
Luckily, the Heat is a classy organization. They invited the boy onto the court before the game started where he got to meet Heat guard Gabe Vincent, who took a photo with him and gave him some gifts, including a Butler jersey.
After the game, basketball commentator and former NBA player Jamal Crawford let audiences at home know that he talked to Butler and that he now has the kid’s information. “Let’s just say the kid will be even happier,” Crawford said, hinting that Butler might do something special for the kid in the future.
Later, the boy’s sister, Zoe Velazquez, posted a photo to her social media of her and her brother with big smiles at the game. “Thank you for the gifts, @JimmyButler.” Butler retweeted the photo soon after.
A great night for the NBA and the young boy, for sure. Plus, his team won the game 98-95.