caron butler on the heat's one and only leader, eddie jones.
ejones06
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take the time and read this!!!!!!!!!!! 
Jones takes on role as leader
Heat guard gains respect of team
BACK ON THE COURT: The Miami Heat opened training camp on Tuesday at Greene Complex at Palm Beach Atlantic University's campus.
WEST PALM BEACH - This used to be the part Alonzo Mourning would play, standing in the team locker room offering words of encouragement to dejected teammates.
But just about four weeks ago, there stood Eddie Jones, officially delivering the news of Mourning's status to his teammates while still managing to keep their spirits up.
''Everybody was sad in the locker room,'' rookie Caron Butler said. ``Eddie came to us and was just like, `I've got bad news. Zo's not playing -- but don't worry about it. We're going to be all right. Trust me.'
``When you hear that from him, a guy of his caliber, I believe him.''
Jones wasted no time adapting to his new role. He has already been relied on for points and playmaking the past two years. That won't change. His newest responsibility is to provide leadership for a young team in search of direction and an identity.
This is truly a first for Jones, who was too young to pilot the Lakers when he played in Los Angeles, though he did drop a few pearls of wisdom on former teammate Kobe Bryant. In Charlotte, Jones was on a veteran-laden team, as was the case during his first two seasons in Miami.
But on this team with 12 players having two years' experience or less, Jones is a captain (along with forward Brian Grant).
''This is the first chance I'll have to be one of the spokesmen,'' Jones said. ``Kobe will tell you, I taught him a lot -- what to do defensively, all types of things. I don't believe in keeping information to myself. If it's going to benefit the team, I'm definitely going to help these guys out.''
Jones' primary pupils are the rookie swingmen -- Caron Butler, Rasual Butler and Luke Recker. All three call Jones a mentor whose knowledge has already helped their transition from college to the NBA.
''He's been excellent for me, a guy who plays my position and has been in the league nine years,'' Recker said. ``He's given me a lot of hints like how to change pace on cuts, how to use your hands in certain situations to help free you up a little bit. That's stuff you have to learn up here because college and the NBA are two different things.''
Rasual Butler began learning from Jones well before his NBA career began. When Butler was 14, the Philadelphia native would stop by Temple workouts and find Jones and Owls teammate Aaron McKie getting in some extra work.
''I was just watching these guys play one-on-one, full court, work on their foul shooting, work on their dribbling, conditioning and everything,'' Butler said. ``I used to figure out their schedules, find them and then just sort of sit and watch.
'When I started to grow and show that I had some skills, guys like Eddie and [Rockets guard] Cuttino Mobley were like, `You have the ability to make it.' ''
Jones has provided similar words of encouragement to Caron Butler over the past several months. Despite being a highly touted rookie, Butler realizes he can learn from Jones, a three-time All-Star.
''I'll sit down with him, eat with him, have breakfast with him,'' Caron Butler said. ``I'm kind of like his rookie. I wake him up in the morning.
``Every time I've got a problem I go to Eddie and he answers it, whether it's basketball, whether it's off-the-court stuff as far as relationships, everyday life problems, Eddie is always there for me. I'll follow his lead because Eddie's been where I want to go. He's been an All-Star, he's been in this league a long time.''
Long enough that he can handle acting like a leader and playing like a star -- at least his protégés think so.
''Just like in practice the other day, we were down, I want to say 5-1, going to seven. [Jones] took over,'' Caron Butler said. 'And then he said, `I'm going to do this throughout the whole season.' I see that in him. I see how he's so eagerly anticipating the season. I see how he carries himself out here. I see how he carries himself off the court, how he's just so focused and serious but also caring about others' well being.''
Jones takes on role as leader
Heat guard gains respect of team
BACK ON THE COURT: The Miami Heat opened training camp on Tuesday at Greene Complex at Palm Beach Atlantic University's campus.
WEST PALM BEACH - This used to be the part Alonzo Mourning would play, standing in the team locker room offering words of encouragement to dejected teammates.
But just about four weeks ago, there stood Eddie Jones, officially delivering the news of Mourning's status to his teammates while still managing to keep their spirits up.
''Everybody was sad in the locker room,'' rookie Caron Butler said. ``Eddie came to us and was just like, `I've got bad news. Zo's not playing -- but don't worry about it. We're going to be all right. Trust me.'
``When you hear that from him, a guy of his caliber, I believe him.''
Jones wasted no time adapting to his new role. He has already been relied on for points and playmaking the past two years. That won't change. His newest responsibility is to provide leadership for a young team in search of direction and an identity.
This is truly a first for Jones, who was too young to pilot the Lakers when he played in Los Angeles, though he did drop a few pearls of wisdom on former teammate Kobe Bryant. In Charlotte, Jones was on a veteran-laden team, as was the case during his first two seasons in Miami.
But on this team with 12 players having two years' experience or less, Jones is a captain (along with forward Brian Grant).
''This is the first chance I'll have to be one of the spokesmen,'' Jones said. ``Kobe will tell you, I taught him a lot -- what to do defensively, all types of things. I don't believe in keeping information to myself. If it's going to benefit the team, I'm definitely going to help these guys out.''
Jones' primary pupils are the rookie swingmen -- Caron Butler, Rasual Butler and Luke Recker. All three call Jones a mentor whose knowledge has already helped their transition from college to the NBA.
''He's been excellent for me, a guy who plays my position and has been in the league nine years,'' Recker said. ``He's given me a lot of hints like how to change pace on cuts, how to use your hands in certain situations to help free you up a little bit. That's stuff you have to learn up here because college and the NBA are two different things.''
Rasual Butler began learning from Jones well before his NBA career began. When Butler was 14, the Philadelphia native would stop by Temple workouts and find Jones and Owls teammate Aaron McKie getting in some extra work.
''I was just watching these guys play one-on-one, full court, work on their foul shooting, work on their dribbling, conditioning and everything,'' Butler said. ``I used to figure out their schedules, find them and then just sort of sit and watch.
'When I started to grow and show that I had some skills, guys like Eddie and [Rockets guard] Cuttino Mobley were like, `You have the ability to make it.' ''
Jones has provided similar words of encouragement to Caron Butler over the past several months. Despite being a highly touted rookie, Butler realizes he can learn from Jones, a three-time All-Star.
''I'll sit down with him, eat with him, have breakfast with him,'' Caron Butler said. ``I'm kind of like his rookie. I wake him up in the morning.
``Every time I've got a problem I go to Eddie and he answers it, whether it's basketball, whether it's off-the-court stuff as far as relationships, everyday life problems, Eddie is always there for me. I'll follow his lead because Eddie's been where I want to go. He's been an All-Star, he's been in this league a long time.''
Long enough that he can handle acting like a leader and playing like a star -- at least his protégés think so.
''Just like in practice the other day, we were down, I want to say 5-1, going to seven. [Jones] took over,'' Caron Butler said. 'And then he said, `I'm going to do this throughout the whole season.' I see that in him. I see how he's so eagerly anticipating the season. I see how he carries himself out here. I see how he carries himself off the court, how he's just so focused and serious but also caring about others' well being.''
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