When you speak with Utah Jazz rookie Jared Butler, it doesn’t feel like you’re speaking with a 20-year-old. He’s wise beyond his years: maybe because he’s lived beyond them.
About three years ago, Butler was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). For an aspiring professional athlete, a diagnosis of a heart condition that can affect exercising is akin to a death sentence. At the age of 18, it felt like the life he’d planned was already over.
“I was an 18-year-old kid ready to take college basketball by storm. I’d never heard of HCM. I was super confused. I thought my playing career was over. That was a devastating day”.
Three years later, Butler has an NCAA championship and an NBA draft selection under his belt. It’s readily apparent that his playing career is only getting started.
Dr. Michael J. Ackerman of the Mayo Clinic has been instrumental in securing that future for the Utah Jazz rookie.
Utah Jazz in partnership with Dr. Ackerman
We sat down to talk with Jared Butler and Dr. Ackerman about HCM and how the condition has impacted both Butler’s life and the lives of others.
“Many patients, like Jared, never have a symptom. It’s difficult to diagnose those cases” Dr. Ackerman tells the J-Notes.
Butler and his family found Dr. Ackerman shortly after his HCM diagnosis. By all accounts, the partnership has been a blessing.
“Jointly, we decide: how are we feeling about this road we’re on? Do we need to pump the brakes, or is it full speed ahead? In Jared’s case, it’s full speed ahead.”
Luckily for Jared and the Utah Jazz alike. Not only are Butler and his physician clearly in lockstep, but it’s evident that the team is all-in on managing Butler’s condition.
“The Utah Jazz have me on speed dial,” Dr. Ackerman says.
Utah Jazz rookie looks to pay it forward
Has Butler’s HCM diagnosis motivated him to work harder on the basketball court?
“I wouldn’t say that. HCM has made me feel more appreciative of the game of basketball, and life in general”.
It seems as if nothing could make Butler work harder in games than he already does. His love of the game is pure. You see it whenever he steps on the floor. However, he’s obviously a young man looking to impact lives off the court as well.
That’s why he’s vigorously promoting CoulditbeHCM.com. The website aims to promote awareness about this potentially serious heart condition. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain or fainting during exercise. If you’re experiencing those symptoms, Butler would urge you to visit the website or contact your physician.
“With my platform and my story, I know I can help other people who have been through the same thing.”
There’s nothing easy about playing in the NBA with a heart condition, yet this Utah Jazz rookie is doing exactly that. Whatever you might question about Jared Butler, it can’t be his heart.