When Jimmy Butler took charge of the Heat’s showdown against the Bucks and guided them to a remarkable ousting of the East’s top seed, it prompted discussions likening him to Michael Jordan. Alongside, it stirred up other speculations surrounding his ties with Jordan.

Once again, an online conspiracy theory suggesting Butler is Jordan’s son is gaining momentum. Following Miami’s surprise victory over Milwaukee, numerous TikTok and YouTube videos have propagated this notion, some amassing over a million views.

Let’s be clear: the rumor is entirely unfounded. Butler and Jordan share no familial connection, and there’s no evidence to support such claims. Nevertheless, this is unlikely to quell the theory’s proliferation across the internet, particularly if Butler continues to shine in the playoffs.

The Sporting News delves into the origins of this peculiar rumor and sheds light on the truth regarding Butler’s family background.

Is Jimmy Butler Michael Jordan’s son?

No, he is not.

Jimmy Butler III was born in Houston in 1989 to Jimmy Butler II and Linda Butler. His father abandoned the family when he was an infant, and he was raised by his mother in the suburb of Tomball, Texas, until he was 13.

Here, his story takes another sad turn. One day, his mother kicked him out of the house.

“I don’t like the look σf yσu,” Butler recalls her saying. “You gotta go.”

Left to fend for himself, he sought refuge with various friends for as long as they would have him. Eventually, he found a more stable living situation with his friend, Jordan Leslie. His journey as a basketball star began at Tomball High School before he went on to attend Tyler Junior College and later Marquette.

Despite the upheaval in his early life, Butler emphasizes that he maintains a bond with both of his parents.

“I still talk tσ my family,” he told Chicago Magazine in 2015. “My mom. My father. We love each other. That’s never going to change.”

Where did the Michael Jordan-Jimmy Butler rumor come from?

The theory originated as far back as 2016, stemming from another rumor suggesting that Jordan may have an unidentified son.

That year, a brief post on the website TerezOwens.com mentioned a “tipster” who claimed Butler could be Jordan’s illegitimate child. Here’s the original post, riddled with numerous typos and grammatical errors:

Jordan Would Not Claim unwanted Child in 1988 in fear of Destroying Marriage! Child took on mother’s name of Butler. It was reported he paid mother off so he would not tarnish his public image & Legacy….& role model figure. After 13 years mother kicked Child out of household because payments stop…

This is nonsense for a few reasons, primarily because Butler wasn’t even born until September 1989.

Rumors have swirled for years that Jordan has an illegitimate child, but there has never been any evidence to back up these claims. In 1991, a woman named Karla Knafel claimed that he was the father of her child, but a DNA test proved that wasn’t the case.

Jordan has been married twice. He has five children — three with his first wife, Juanita Vanoy, and two with his second wife, Yvette Prieto.

Like many other internet rumors, the Butler-Jordan conspiracy stems from a debunked claim that has gained traction simply because TikTok and YouTube users found it and decided to promote it.