The impromptu meeting of Coco Gauff and Jimmy Butler reopened the wounds from the Miami Heat that weren’t healed fully. Despite being out with a season-ending ACL injury last month, the current Warriors star is currently promoting his teammates on social media. The BNP Paribas Open became another destination when he pitched to the World No. 4 tennis star to switch her allegiance.

While walking with the support of crutches, Butler jokingly complained that Gauff’s favorite team hurt him. Gauff is a Florida native and roots for the Heat through and through. Yet at Indian Wells, California, Butler made his attempt. “Your team hurt me, by the way. The Heat hurt me. The Heat hurt me.”

Gauff and Jimmy Butler have been friends ever since the latter joined Miami. She even stated previously how the 6x NBA All-Star helped her through a mental block. Because of the friendship, Gauff even offered an apology and revealed she hasn’t been to a Heat game in a long time. Jimmy Buckets found the opportunity and insisted, “Great! Switch alliances! And remember, Steph is on my team now, so like everyone loves Steph.”

While the 21-year-old tennis sensation did agree that she loved Curry, she wasn’t ready to switch her support. “I’ll never betray my team. I’ll root for you, though,” said Gauff. As she walked away, Jimmy Butler used the love for Stephen Curry as a sign that she was ready to be a member of the Dub Nation.

“Coco’s a Warriors fan! She said it! Coco loves the Warriors,” Butler exclaimed. “Y’all heard it. Coco’s a Warriors fan. Y’all heard that. All right, clip that. Clip that, seriously. Let’s get it viral. Let’s get it viral.”

Converting any fans of the Heat to the Golden State is ideal for Jimmy Butler. After all, the franchise he led to two NBA Finals handed him a bitter exit, and it was against Miami that Jimmy suffered his season-ending injury. So, the six-year tenure with the franchise ended painfully since Pat Riley was reluctant to pay the aging star his second max contract extension with the organization.

The 36-year-old lost his joy, was late for training, and questioned the franchise. In return, the Heat fined him multiple times before trading him to Golden State.

Jimmy Butler and the difficulty in the Golden State

On the trade deadline day, Pat Riley found the solution and shipped Jimmy Buckets to the Warriors. The team needed a solid secondary option, which Jimmy provided and helped turn the Golden State’s fortunes. Since the trade, he had a 23-7 record, making the Dub Nation one of the hottest teams last year. Even this year, the team had a 23-15 record with Jimmy Butler.

This was his first full season in the Bay Area, which ended in an injury. Despite a positive record, the reality of being a second option came to light during his visit to the BNP Paribas Open. “You all make me feel like a tennis star. Everybody is screaming my name as I’m coming off the practice court. You know what I’m saying? I can get used to that.”

Jimmy Butler was signing autographs for the tennis fans who gave him a warm welcome. “I play with Steph, so it’s hard. They don’t scream my name anymore; they always scream Steph’s name. What I’d pay to be Stephen Curry for a day.” While he may not be the first option, the team helped him find his joy again. Furthermore, his recruitment of new fans to the Dub Nation proves his love for the franchise.