Warriors' Jimmy Butler believes Steph Curry is greatest he's ever played with

Warriors' Jimmy Butler believes Steph Curry is greatest he's ever played with originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler has played alongside a lot of talented teammates across 16 NBA seasons, but none of them compare to the one he has now.

Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke at Warriors Media Day on Sept. 28, Butler was asked to reflect on the kind of longevity most athletes only dream about as he enters his 16th year in the league.

“My knee aches a little bit, but outside of that, I feel amazing,” Butler said, referencing his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL. “I’m super blessed to be able to play for some amazing organizations with some Hall of Fame players, and I can say I am probably with the greatest player that I’ve ever played with right now on this team, for the greatest organization. So, 16 years in, to end up over here with the Warriors — couldn’t ask for a better story.”

The claim carries real weight, given the group Butler is including Curry in. Drafted No. 30 overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2011, Butler shared a locker room with Derrick Rose during his six seasons in Chicago, later played alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota and Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, and spent six seasons paired with Bam Adebayo in Miami, reaching two NBA Finals along the way.

Calling Curry the best of that entire group is not a passing compliment — it is Butler ranking him above a roster of All-Stars and franchise cornerstones he has played with across four different organizations.

Butler joined the Warriors via trade during the 2024-25 NBA season and since has become one of Golden State’s most reliable two-way pieces when healthy, pairing with Curry and Draymond Green to form one of the more experienced cores in the league.

As he continues working back from the ACL injury that ended his season prematurely, Butler’s message was clear — of everywhere he has been and everyone he has played with, this is the version of his career he considers the best story yet.

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