Neymar joined by NBA star at Santos as Jimmy Butler visits CT Rei Pelé | OneFootball

According to Diario Do Peixe, Jimmy Butler of the NBA's Golden State Warriors visited CT Rei Pelé on Monday 14, joining Neymar and Gabigol during Santos activities.

The club shared images on social media, including Butler taking part in a table tennis game. It was his first time in Santos, and the visit came while Neymar undergoes treatment at CT Rei Pelé for a right thigh muscle injury.

Butler's connection with Neymar dates back to the Rio 2016 Olympics, when he watched the men's final at the Maracanã as Brazil beat Germany on penalties.

They kept in touch on social media and have met away from competitions. Over the years Butler has shown his affinity with Neymar and Santos, often wearing the club's shirt, especially while he represented the Miami Heat.

In November 2022 he attended a Miami Heat game against the Sacramento Kings in Santos' third kit released that year, remaining on the bench and not featuring. In April 2024 he again arrived for a game in a Santos shirt, as recorded by the Heat's official account.

During the 2026 World Cup he was close to the Brazil national team and greeted Neymar before the match against Japan.

Source: Diario Do Peixe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”