Day-to-Day: Jimmy Butler gets better and better

The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast

How Jimmy Butler has taken another leap to become a top 10 NBA player and how rare it is for a role player to become a superstar is the subject of the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast. Jason Mann is joined by his Over and Back co-host Rich Kraetsch to look at how the new-look Chicago Bulls are playing so far this year, how much Butler has improved in his sixth season, taking a larger offensive and corresponding with major improvements in scoring, rebound and efficiency. We talk about how unusual it is for a player like Butler to make such a leap in his career and compare his path to Reggie Lewis and John Havlicek. We also discuss how Butler is known for rigorous offseason skill development, how he stands out in self-discipline and hearing hard truths, how hard it might be for a late bloomer to assume a leadership role, and how Dwyane Wade coming to the Bulls might be making as big and off-court difference as it does on the court. We also look at how sustainable we think the Bulls' success so far can be.