The legend of “Himmy Butler” just keeps on growing.
Heat star Jimmy Butler lit up the basketball world with an electric 56-point night in Game 4 against the Bucks on Monday night. It set a Miami franchise record for most points in a playoff game and marks the fourth-most points in a postseason game in NBA history.
The Heat now hold a 3-1 series lead over the No. 1-seeded Bucks. They are one win away from punching their ticket to the second round and pulling off a stunning upset over heavily-favored Milwaukee.
MORE: Jimmy Butler delivers historic performance in Miami’s game 4 win
In the aftermath of his incredible performance, many took to social media to give “Himmy Butler” his props, including NBA MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid.
PLAYOFF MF HIMMY BUTLER
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) April 25, 2023
But what does “Himmy” even mean? Here’s the lowdown on Butler’s viral nickname after his legendary night:
What does ‘Himmy Butler’ mean?
Simply put, it means Jimmy Butler is “him.”
Calling an athlete “him” has risen in popularity in recent months. It is essentially just a way of calling a player a star or a clutch performer.
In the words of The Sporting News’ David Suggs, “To be ‘Him’ is to be a dominant figure, a blooming flower in a garden full of weeds. It’s a feeling of euphoric confidence, the type of disposition that only occurs when you leave your opposition cowering in fear.”
The term originally comes from a song of the same name by rapper Kevin Gates. It began growing in popularity after it was used in a viral video by YouTuber JiDion during an amusing interaction with a woman at a bowling alley.
MORE: Where does ‘I’m him” come from? Explaining the origins of the popular slang term
Professional athletes quickly grew fond of the phrase, and it’s been used by such famous figures as LeBron James, Joe Burrow, Ja Morant, Stefon Diggs and Odell Beckham Jr. Most recently, Lakers guard Austin Reaves broke it out during Game 1 of his team’s playoff series against the Grizzlies.
“IM HIM”
Austin Reaves #LakeShow
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) April 16, 2023
Jimmy Butler’s name obviously lends itself to the term. By replacing one letter, Jimmy became “Himmy” and a viral nickname was born.
Himmy and his Heat teammates will now have three chances to eliminate the Bucks, with the first coming in Game 5 on Wednesday night. Tip-off from Milwaukee is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.