Butler x Jokic is going to be the great duel of the NBA final and the two stars have a different relationship with Brazil; see details
butler x Jokic will be the great individual duel of the finals of the NBA this season 2022/23. Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat will start the dispute for the title this Thursday, the 1st, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at the Ball Arena. Despite the match deciding the future of American basketball, this duel will have a ‘pinch’ of Brazil, even if not a Brazilian will enter the court.
That’s because, the duel between Butler x Jokic will carry a bit of Brazilianness with it. Both have a certain identification with the country and for very different reasons. The Heat star, for example, gained even more strength in the Brazilian scene during the World Cup in Qatar. That’s because, he appeared on social networks with the shirt of Brazil and even tried to sing the national anthem during his stories. In addition, he went viral celebrating Richarlison’s goal.
But Butler’s relationship with Brazil goes back a long way. The East MVP has a great friendship with Neymar Jr. The PSG striker has posed several times alongside Jimmy and, after the victory against the Celtics, the Paris Saint-Germain star made a publication wishing his friend luck. Including, this proximity of the NBA star to the Brazilian territory emerged from this bond.
Even before Neymar, Butler had traveled to Brazil in 2016 to follow the Olympics. Without having watched a football match before in his life, he followed the decision between the Brazilian National Team and Germany. He was enchanted by football, by the country and also by the PSG striker. From there, the relationship between them became something special and he revealed this in 2019, in an interview with ‘The Times’.
“I saw the greatest football player of all time win gold. You know who I’m talking about, right?” he said. “He won gold in his own country, which is even better. It was the first time I really paid attention, and he was killer.“, he said. But it’s not just Butler who has a close relationship with Brazil. Jokic is another who also grew up in basketball, but had a slightly more intense relationship with the Brazilian people.
In addition to having a large number of fans in the country, he had the help of Brazilian Felipe Elchenberger. It’s not news to anyone that the Nuggets star had trouble reaching his ideal weight. To overcome this obstacle, he had the Brazilian fitness coach, who was considered the best in the NBA last season, by his side. After the victory against the Lakers, in the final of the West, he praised his franchise companion in a press conference.
“I’ve known Felipe since I arrived here. I’m always working with him. Just because I was unknown when I arrived, they just told me: ‘Go work out with him’. I am joking. But really, he had a big impact on my life, on my career.“, he said. That is, in a final between Heat and Nuggets, Brazil will have its role, even if discreet, in the decision of the NBA in the 2022/23 season.
Source: sportbuzz
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