Warriors’ Jimmy Butler vows he’ll return from torn ACL as even better player

Jimmy Butler is 37 years old, recovering from a torn ACL and won’t be ready when the Warriors open the season.

He also sounds very much like Jimmy Butler.

Butler said at Media Day that he’s running, doing light work on the court and has even returned to dunking as he continues the rehab process. More importantly, he doesn’t believe the injury is going to leave him as a lesser player whenever he does return.

“I am confident that whenever I come back, I’ll be more than ready, I’ll be more than healthy, and I’ll be more of a better player, all-around player than I was whenever I went down,” Butler said, via Marcus D. Smith of USA Today.

Butler tore the ACL in his right knee in January and underwent surgery in February. He doesn’t have a specific return date, saying only that “when it’s time, it’s time.”

There are encouraging signs. Butler said his testing numbers have been “staggering” and “off the charts,” per Anthony Slater, adding that he’s been told he’s ahead in the recovery process.

Mostly, though, Butler just wants to play basketball again.

“I want to go out there and compete with my guys, with Dray, be Robin again to Steph’s Batman,” he said.

The Warriors obviously aren’t going to rush a 37-year-old coming off a major knee injury. Butler doesn’t sound particularly worried about what he’ll look like when they finally turn him loose.

Then again, confidence has never exactly been an issue with Jimmy Butler.