NBA Star Jimmy Butler’s “Rude” Behavior Makes Him Persona Non-Grata

In a recent livestream, Hustler Casino Live’s (HCL) co-owner, Nick Vertucci, hinted that NBA star Jimmy Butler won’t be making a comeback on his poker cash game show following his first and only appearance in June. 

The reason why Butler is “not welcome back” on the show is the “rude” behavior the Miami Heat Star displayed at the table.

One of the Most Memorable TV Poker Streams 

The 14-year NBA veteran and next Hall of Famer joined the live stream on June 22 next to an impressive roster of players. 

The table included poker player, businessman, and social media influencer Dan Bilzerian, streaming personality Ninja with over 19.1 million followers on Twitch, soccer superstar Neymar, boxer Ryan Garcia who held the World Boxing Council interim lightweight title in 2021, and Alan Keating, a fan favorite at HCL.

The stream turned into one of the most iconic streams in the history of televised poker, with Keating playing one of the most absurd high-stakes poker hands ever to be broadcast live and losing seven consecutive river runouts against Neymar. 

A highly controversial hand deemed as “one of the strangest poker hands” in history was played at the same casino in 2022, resulting in cheating accusations among two players.

However, the session ended up being even more infamous because of Butler’s actions. 

According to Vertucci, “Jimmy Buckets” acted rudely most of the night while off-stream, refusing to engage in play for roughly 90 minutes until his friend Neymar showed up. 

He also demanded to be seated next to the soccer icon, a request that annoyed Vertucci but not enough for him to refuse to accommodate it.

Even more, according to Vertucci, the NBA star expressed confusion and irritation regarding a few of the game features the rest of the players enjoyed, including straddling, which eventually led to him getting into an argument with Blizerian and another player and giving up the game altogether.

Apparently, Butler solely wanted to play a standard game of no-limit hold’em.

He was also reported treating the staff poorly while shouting and complaining next to the table. When Vertucci touched his arm in an attempt to calm him down, asking if he could assist him in some way, Butler rudely told him to get his hand off his arm and then told him “If you want to help me, go get my money.” 

Vertucii, who is not a chip runner for Hustler Casino, told him he does not do that and walked away.

Butler had won $122,000, in spite of the fact that he raised preflop just 2% of the hands dealt. 

“I Don’t Like Him.”

Vertucci, who is known for openly speaking exactly what’s on his mind and calling people out no matter how high their status might be, made it clear that he didn’t like Butler when another player at the table asked him if Bilzerian was the “biggest a*****e” he ever met in his life. 

To this, Vertucci answered “Not Bilzerian, Jimmy Butler,” adding “I don’t like him.”

HCL player, video producer, and commentator Kyle “RaverPoker” Ravreby intervened to defend his boss, reiterating the NBA player was not a pleasant character. 

When pressed by the rest of the players at the table to further express his contempt for the NBA legend, Vertucci said he did not want him back on his show. 

“I don’t care how many viewers he brings,” he went on to say, “I don’t want him back”, explaining he was rude to the dealers, other players, and the staff.

When PokerNews asked the other HCL co-owner, Ryan Feldman, for an opinion on Butler’s appearance on the show, he said his experience with the player “was very positive”.

He added that, in his view, the player was “super cool”, taking pictures and signing autographs “for everyone who I saw ask him”. 

On the other hand, Vertucci claimed that when a young basketball fan at Hustler Casino wanted to meet the NBA player, the latter obliged the request “begrudgingly”.

The co-owner added Butler also engaged in a long conversation with him at the end of the game. 

“We even chatted in the days after the show and he seemed to enjoy his experience.”, Feldman said.