Wiggins rooting for Butler in Finals: 'He was a great teammate'

Andrew Wiggins didn't always see eye-to-eye with Jimmy Butler during their time together on the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the Canadian wishes the Miami Heat star all the best in his first NBA Finals.

"I've been rooting for them. Jimmy, he was a great teammate. Hell of a competitor," Wiggins said Monday, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "What he's brought over there, bringing those guys to the Finals, it's a huge accomplishment. It just shows what he can do."

Wiggins added, "Even when he was in Minnesota, everyone forgets we were third in a very packed West before he got hurt. So he was capable and he went to a good team, Miami, and the rest is history."

Butler was acquired by Minnesota in 2017 to help Wiggins and the club's young core get over the hump. The five-time All-Star immediately became the T-Wolves' alpha dog, leading the team in scoring and steals during his debut campaign.

Minnesota broke its 13-season playoff drought with Butler in the fold, though he requested a trade before training camp the following year and was dealt by the Timberwolves early into the 2018-19 campaign to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 31-year-old is known for his tireless work ethic, which has rubbed some of his former teammates the wrong way. However, Wiggins knows Butler only has the best intentions.

"He's a dog ... because what he does, he brings the best out of people," Wiggins said, according to Friedell. "He's going to put that battery in your bag and you're going to go. You can see what he's doing to all the young guys, how all their games are elevated."