The Journey of Friendship Between Jimmy Butler and Neymar Jr.

By: Fatima Roshni Image Credit: Instagram

[{"selector":"#anim-cfb7ef25-17ef-4837-8a44-4ab29634613b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe91da03-45d8-4807-9c0b-534199daa865","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4acf0df1-69e7-4565-921e-fd38c6585cf4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.21191%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e381488a-24a1-414a-983f-7da2ad4fcdab [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(70.5624998213744%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Basketball and soccer have been the biggest sports to ever be played with the same players. From Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar to Butler, Curry, and James, these star players coexist.

[{"selector":"#anim-c644c722-24ed-4e66-bf05-8b070f395095","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b163376-ee31-4365-b22a-2f9f272c681b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.79935%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa5e47a5-ef75-48f0-8b3a-3784ca6ceffc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39f8d48b-7432-43f6-9a26-fb44326f671d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-160.69869%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74f7e60b-eb96-4457-b805-c91561e01564 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(14.124669222856514%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Among those is a friendship between two popular athletes, including soccer star Neymar Jr. and NBA star Jimmy Butler. A friendship that has lasted for the past 7 years as of now.

[{"selector":"#anim-8651bb58-b779-4c62-a9c8-06c626d4eac0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-56.674057174393155%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbfd5a36-9be2-4602-af12-6f2bab48d697","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28cc035b-cc6d-4332-a681-d58232ba95e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -586.28029%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Their bond goes back to the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Butler was playing and attended the soccer match with Neymar playing for Brazil.

[{"selector":"#anim-15ebc389-03de-4f3d-a6d8-665a4e0759c6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(62.49627967259196%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6b556f0-2b57-45a3-b739-36d885a46d54","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6cf166fa-7bf8-4d95-a5c3-16da901a94ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 69.70792%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c547624-ec2b-4c1e-83ab-6cbab2c783f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Talking about friendship, Butler said- “Somehow, we just ended up connecting. We sat down for dinner, hung out and our relationship has grown from there. Neymar’s been one of my favorite players."

[{"selector":"#anim-3da9a5ef-a577-4344-84e7-78ba40157558","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f5b1ec6-3abe-4d6b-a923-f4f5efd99640","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.92356%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5db66c0-f0ca-4439-85be-9e39e024a69c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(70.5624998213744%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Carrying such a great bond, the two were seen bromancing during a shootaround before Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals. The power duo were putting up free throws, with Neymar showing off his hooping skills.

[{"selector":"#anim-dd2deef3-9811-4dfe-9dd5-736d8c361798","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7e2a743-e5fd-4b85-a0da-bf98f9a363b4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 175.38009%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7547d652-e2e6-42e8-889c-a831d0520e66 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(61.09747014878243%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03972223-d8ad-4d54-b6b5-dddc6d543ed3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Ahead of the final, Butler was enjoying himself alongside Neymar, who has been a big supporter. He even penned a heartfelt message for Butler upon receiving the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

[{"selector":"#anim-26a31ba9-8caf-4d13-9690-f3034d42ba1a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(23.29895776106154%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-438628d4-7c2e-47f5-825e-ece9f1852b25","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c145c024-28d7-4e91-a594-5270d770ba98","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -488.56678%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Creating a big milestone for the franchise in Game 2, Butler set a record of 518 points, 130 rebounds, and 113 assists through the 19 postseason games.

[{"selector":"#anim-a79c1acc-56fb-4177-b1cc-0ece1863ef98 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.210193727203901%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae98f3f9-9f47-4c90-b3fd-67a0fe1983f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7131da31-b06b-46d3-b6c2-1a35994534e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.02797%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7f9a080-ca70-4b80-8c1c-8bdeecf229e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23e4255e-87af-44a2-ba39-f76a609b4ace","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.40174%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] With the Denver Nuggets in the lead by 2-1 after today's Game 3, claiming victory by 109-94, the Miami Heat failed to make a consecutive strike.

The Journey of Friendship Between Jimmy Butler and Neymar Jr.

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