What Is Coco Gauff's Relationship With NBA Star Jimmy Butler?

Tennis star Coco Gauff and NBA star Jimmy Butler became fast friends, as the two athletes bonded over their competitive spirits. Before they knew each other, Gauff admitted that she was a little starstruck by the Miami Heat forward. 

"I have a lot of my family in the crowd and over there. Even Jimmy Butler here so I was a little bit nervous when I saw him," she told the Women's Tennis Association while competing at the Miami Open in March 2023. Not only was Gauff able to shake hands with Butler as he watched the match, but the pair posed for selfies together afterwards. "[B]ringin out my inner jimmy buckets mentality yesterday," the tennis pro wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, alongside a snap with the player nicknamed "Jimmy Buckets."

After hitting it off at the Miami Open, the pair stayed in touch on social media. While competing at the French Open in May 2023, Gauff mentioned she had a story about Butler that she was holding off on telling. Later she revealed that at the beginning of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Butler offered Gauff tickets to a game, but she was unable to attend due to her playing schedule. "And then he said, 'Okay, when we make the Finals, let me know if your family wants some tickets,'" Gauff told the press in May 2023, per ESPN. The Heat went on to make an improbable Finals run as an eight-seed, and Gauff used Butler's confidence as a source of inspiration.

Before Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat advanced to the 2023 NBA Finals, they were up on the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but squandered that series lead and had to beat the Celtics in seven games. Coco Gauff used that as motivation while playing at the French Open in May 2023, when she went down a set during her first round match. "Honestly, today I told myself if Jimmy Butler didn't freak out when they were up 3–0 and then all of a sudden it was 3-all, then I shouldn't freak out from losing the first set," she told The Tennis Channel following her match.

The bond between Gauff and Butler only strengthened later that year when she competed in the U.S. Open and the NBA All-Star became a fixture at her games. "I want her to win every single time," he told ESPNW while being interviewed during one of Gauff's U.S. Open matches in August 2023. In fact, Jimmy Buckets had a profound impact on the tennis star's game. 

"I learned a lot watching him, everybody counting him out," she told The New York Post in August 2023. Gauff credited her NBA friend with the turnaround in her play. "It was really just the mental thing. That's what I learned from watching Jimmy compete," she added. Clearly, Butler was much more than just a spectator during Gauff's run at the U.S. Open.

Jimmy Butler was not the only high-profile celebrity on hand while Coco Gauff competed at the 2023 U.S. Open. "I was definitely starstruck with Justin Bieber," she told a writer for the U.S. Open in September 2023. Gauff had nerves seeing the popstar, but was more comfortable with her NBA star pal. "Jimmy Butler, he's come to a couple of my matches. I wasn't as surprised he was there," she added. Not only was the Miami Heat star a spectator, but she was an honorary ball boy for an exhibition event during the tournament, and even engaged in a playful point with top-ranked men's player Carlos Alcaraz — who took it easy on Butler.

The inspiration between Butler and Gauff wasn't just a one-way street, either. The Heat player was influenced by watching the tennis star compete at the U.S. Open. "I'm now teaching my daughter to hit a tennis ball, which is very important in my household. I'm teaching her to compete and never accept losing," Butler told Rolling Stone during an interview in October 2023.

Even when Butler could not attend matches in person, he still offered support to Gauff as she travelled the world competing in tournaments. On January 23, the NBA forward was in Miami while Gauff played in the Australian Open. Butler posted a snap to his Instagram Stories of himself eating dinner in South Beach while watching Gauff's match on his phone, via Sportskeeda.