Jimmy Butler Ungkap Perkembangan Pemulihan Cedera Cedera ACL

Pemain sayap Golden State Warriors, Jimmy Butler, menyatakan sedang mengalami kemajuan luar biasa dalam proses pemulihan dari cedera robek ACL pada lutut kanannya saat menghadiri pengumuman kemitraan sponsor baru klub di San Francisco.

Pebasket berusia 36 tahun tersebut mengalami cedera yang mengakhiri musimnya pada 19 Januari dan telah menjalani rehabilitasi selama lebih dari empat bulan demi bisa kembali bermain pada musim NBA 2026-2027.

"I’m in the thick of it," kata Jimmy Butler, Pemain Golden State Warriors.

"This rehab’s tough. … You’re doing so much work, knowing you’ve still got so much work to do to get back to where you want to be. It’s a process, it’s a grind. It’s nothing new, but at the same time, it’s very new. But I look forward to getting back to the court." tambah Jimmy Butler.

Meskipun masa depannya di tim dispekulasikan karena kontrak tahun terakhirnya yang bernilai hampir 57 juta dolar AS bisa dijadikan paket pertukaran, Butler tetap menunjukkan komitmen tinggi untuk bertahan di Bay Area.

"We’ve been making some incredible progress," ujar Jimmy Butler.

"I’m actually very happy. It’s just I want it to happen quickly." tambah Jimmy Butler.

Butler juga menyoroti aspek mental sebagai salah satu bagian tersulit dalam proses pemulihannya, namun ia tetap optimis dengan kemampuan tim jika seluruh skuad berada dalam kondisi bugar.

"It’s like life is different right now," tutur Jimmy Butler.

"There are things that I used to be able to do that I can’t do right now. I actually can dunk a basketball if I jump off my left leg — I just can’t land on my right. I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure I can still dunk a basketball." sambung Jimmy Butler.

Pemain yang mencatatkan rata-rata 20,0 poin, 5,6 rebound, dan 4,9 assist per pertandingan sebelum cedera ini juga memuji manajemen Warriors sebagai organisasi terbaik yang pernah ia bela.

"If we’re healthy, we’re tough," kata Jimmy Butler.

"We’ve just got to be healthy. … As long as we’ve got Steph, we always have a chance." lanjut Jimmy Butler.

Dalam kesempatan tersebut, Butler juga menyatakan kebahagiaannya berada di dalam tim dan keinginannya untuk pensiun bersama Golden State Warriors suatu saat nanti.

"It’s not good, it’s great," cetus Jimmy Butler.

"Legitimately, it’s the best. You don’t realize it until you’ve been in other places, and I’m not talking down on anybody that are like quite lesser than. You’re talking about the way that you all run everything, the people that you have around." jelas Jimmy Butler.

"Obviously, the guys that get to rep the uniform, they just do everything the right way, the winning way. It definitely shows in everything that we do here. I’m grateful to be a part of it now. When I say I don’t want to be anywhere else, this is it." tambah Jimmy Butler.

Sebagai bentuk kedekatan dengan rekan-rekan setimnya, ia berencana mengundang para pemain Warriors berkunjung ke kediamannya di San Diego sebelum pemusatan latihan dimulai.

"I hope to do something again with the guys," ucap Jimmy Butler.

"We had a really good time. Mi casa es su casa. I got the Robin cave down there, so I’m gonna get Batman (Curry) in the Robin cave." kelakar Jimmy Butler.

Di sisi lain, laporan dari Anthony Slater dari ESPN yang dilansir hoopsrumors.com menyebutkan bahwa Butler kemungkinan baru bisa kembali melantai pada bulan Februari mendatang, mengingat Direktur Medis Rick Celebrini dikenal sangat berhati-hati dalam menangani rehabilitasi pemain veteran.

"I’m right back to who I’ve always been," tegas Jimmy Butler.

"Probably better if we was to really talk about it. I know I’m still going to be a top player whenever I get back. I have a couple good years left in me, and we’re going to ride it until the wheels fall off." lanjut Jimmy Butler.

Butler juga menyoroti kegagalan tim pada fase playoff sebelumnya akibat badai cedera yang menimpa para pemain kunci, termasuk Stephen Curry pada musim lalu.

"End is a bad word, but this is where I want to be done," kata Jimmy Butler.

"Retire here. This organization is top-tier. It’s the best.

Keep it a buck. It’s the best. You’re playing with one of the greatest players ever.

I’m grateful to be able to witness this. I want to be able to do my part, get this organization back on top where we belong." pungkas Jimmy Butler.

Mengenai rumor transfer yang beredar seiring dengan masa perpanjangan kontraknya yang jatuh pada 6 Februari mendatang, Butler mengaku bersikap profesional.

"It just sucks because we ain’t never really been healthy together," keluh Jimmy Butler.

"Part of winning is being healthy. You ain’t seen us healthy at the end in the playoffs when it matters. Let’s be healthy and then all of that [doubting] can be heard." tegas Jimmy Butler.

Pihak manajemen Warriors sendiri, melalui General Manager Mike Dunleavy dan pemilik Joe Lacob, terus menegaskan bahwa Butler adalah bagian penting dari masa depan tim.

"You talking about being traded?" tanya Jimmy Butler.

"It wouldn’t be the first time. [But] it’s good to know that I’m wanted here. If I get traded, I get traded. Their job is to win.

Can I help them do that? Yes. If they feel like somebody else can help them do that on a quicker timetable than whenever I come back, then they got to go and do that, but as of right now, I’m here.

I don’t take that for granted. I’m grateful, but if I’m going to be here whenever I get back, we’re going to be just fine." tutup Jimmy Butler.

Dilansir dari bvmsports.com, selain memulihkan Butler, Warriors bergerak aktif dengan merekrut Al Horford lewat kontrak dua tahun senilai 14 juta dolar AS serta menyepakati kerja sama sponsor jersey dengan perusahaan cloud AI bernama Iren yang bernilai lebih dari 50 juta dolar AS per tahun.