Jimmy Butler has been criticized by some NBA fans for not being fully committed to the Miami Heat.

Revealing footage from a new Netflix documentary shows a different aspect of Butler, and provides a painful behind-the-scenes look at why one of the league’s best players really took a “leave of absence” last season.

GettyJimmy Butler went through a lot behind the scenes during the 2023-24 NBA season[/caption]

“I get on the plane and I’m flying, and I’m probably like 20 minutes from landing,” Butler said on Starting 5.

“I get a text from my agent that asked me if I landed yet.

“I was like, nobody ever texts me when I’m in the air, ‘Have I landed yet?’ So that’s when I knew … “

What followed provided a rare glimpse into the person-behind-the-player persona of NBA superstars, who can make hundreds of millions of dollars and bounce across the globe, yet are often dealing with daily real-world problems.

“My dad had passed,” Butler said.

“My dad had passed at, what, February 8 at, I don’t know, 1:04 a.m. or something like that.”

On February 11, the Miami Heat released an official statement.

“On Jimmy Butler per his agent, Bernie Lee,” the Heat tweeted.

“Jimmy Butler has been granted a leave of absence as he deals with the death of a family member.

“Jimmy and his family ask for privacy at this point in time as they navigate this loss.

x@HeatCulture13Butler reveals how he learned that his father had died[/caption]

x@HeatCulture13One of the NBA’s best players opened up during a revealing interview[/caption]

GettyLeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards share a laugh[/caption]

“Updates will be given when appropriate.”

All that was said was that a “family member” had died.

The responses to the Heat’s statement weren’t 100 percent supportive, and Butler was later challenged by Miami president Pat Riley for not being “available every single night.”

“Cool but I got a parlay with Jimmy!” a fan posted. “What about my bet?”

“I remember some Heat fans bashing him when he took a ‘leave of absence’ from the team during the season,” HeatCulture13 tweeted. “Sometimes, it’s way bigger than just basketball.”

Butler, who’s one of the best two-way players in the NBA, became emotional during the interview and paused for several seconds.

He recorded a triple-double featuring 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists on February 7 in a home win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Then he got on a plane and learned that his father had passed before he landed.

“I see my dad on a hospital bed. I tell my dad that I love him,” Butler said.

“The doctor comes in and I’m like, ‘Hey, doc. I got to go see my brother get married. Will he still be here? Will he still be alive whenever I get back?’

“The doc was like, ‘I don’t know.’

GettyButler is a unique athlete who also loves tennis and dominoes[/caption]

“I was like, ‘I got to go. But please, please, please, I need my dad here whenever I get back.’ “

The 35-year-old Butler was the final pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft by Chicago.

He’s a six-time All-Star and has made five All-Defensive teams.

Butler is entering his 14th season and there were offseason rumors about his NBA future with the Heat.

“I thought, ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?’ ” said Riley, referring to Butler’s controversial comments about Boston and New York during the playoffs.

“If you’re not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams.”

One of the grittiest athletes in The Association overcame a difficult childhood, battling adversity and family issues to defy the odds.