Jimmy Butler On The Bulls: “Hell Yeah, It’s A Championship Team”

The Chicago Bulls have had lofty expectations for this season, and with wins on the road over the Raptors and Clippers and starting the year 8-and-5, things haven’t changed. Jimmy Butler, who has blossomed into one of the league’s best two-way players, was very matter-of-fact on how good he thought this year’s Bulls team is. (Via USA Today)

Before starring at Marquette and being drafted 30th overall in 2011, the Tomball, Texas, native was homeless at the age of 13 when his mother put him on the street (with his father playing no part in his life), and he later lived with an adopted family.

Butler has long since found his way, and he’s convinced the Bulls (8-5) will do just that by the time the end of this season rolls around. When asked last week if this is a championship team, even with the recent rash of injuries, Butler told USA TODAY Sports, “Hell yeah, it’s a championship team. We’re going to win that (expletive).”

“Whatever everybody says on the outside we don’t pay attention to because we’re the ones who have to go out there and win games,” Butler said. “It’s us against the world. Some people are on our side, and some people aren’t. That’s how it is.

“We’ve got a team full of NBA players just like everybody else. One guy goes down, and the next has to step up and produce. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want anybody to get hurt, but we still have a team full of good guys and we can still win games… We’re a good team. We play hard. You know, everything doesn’t go your way, but we can only control the things that we can control.”

[USA Today]