Challenging Stephen Curry in any shooting category is not something most players would consider, but Jimmy Butler has never been one to play it safe.
The Miami Heat forward has placed a personal wager for the 2025/26 season, and it involves trying to outperform the NBA’s most precise marksman at the line.
After Golden State’s 119-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to open the season, Curry went a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line on his way to 31 points.
That flawless display prompted a playful but ambitious announcement from Butler when he was asked about his own free-throw goals for the season.
“I got a bet with – I think it’s a, I don’t think it’s a bad bet, but it’s kind of a bad bet – with [Draymond Green] that I got to shoot a better percentage than No. 30 on our team,” Butler said, referring to Curry.
Curry is the NBA’s all-time leader in free-throw percentage, sitting comfortably above 91 percent for his career. Since 2016/17, he hasn’t finished a season below that mark, turning free throws into an art form defined by rhythm, balance, and unwavering concentration.
Butler takes aim at an impossible standard
Butler has long been an efficient free-throw shooter himself, but closing the gap on Curry will be no easy feat.
Over his career, Butler has converted 84.3 percent of his attempts, impressive by league standards, yet still several points short of Curry‘s elite pace.
His best showing came during the 2021/22 season, when he hit 87 percent of his attempts, the same number he posted in 30 games with Golden State after being traded there late last year.
Curry‘s consistency is what makes this challenge nearly impossible. The Warriors guard has shot at least 88.5 percent in every full season of his career, with the only exception being an injury-shortened 2011-12 campaign where he made 80.9 percent of his free throws. To match or surpass those numbers, Butler would need to deliver one of the most accurate seasons of his career – and sustain it across months of play.
Still, Butler doesn’t lack belief. His response showed both confidence and competitiveness, two traits that have defined him since his early days in the league.
“Of course I think I can [beat Curry],” Butler said. “If he can go 8-for-8, I should be able to go 16-for-16 most nights – every night.”
Curry learned about Butler‘s bet moments later, when a reporter filled him in after the game. He paused, smiled, and gave the kind of answer that reflected both his humor and certainty.
“No chance,” he declared. “But I like a little game within the game, so game on.”
Read the full article here
