Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Jimmy Butler III has been sidelined with a torn ACL since January, but he was in great spirits at the NWSL game between San Diego Wave FC and Chicago Stars FC on Saturday.
San Diego won 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, and Butler celebrated with his “fave” Melanie Barcenas on the pitch afterward. Barcenas scored a goal in the 72nd minute. Butler practiced a surfing goal celly with her for next time.
But, for Butler, the main attraction was retired U.S. women’s national team legend and San Diego Wave FC star Alex Morgan.
San Diego Wave posted a video showing Morgan entering Butler’s suite. While Morgan and her husband, Servando Carrasco, hug other people, Butler looks right at the camera. While pointing to Morgan, he silently mouths, “It’s Alex Morgan. That’s Alex Morgan. That’s Alex Morgan.”
The camera pans to an oblivious Morgan before cutting back to Butler, whose eyes are about to pop out of his skull, saying, “Alex [expletive] Morgan!”
Morgan debuted for the USWNT in 2010 and scored 123 goals and recorded 53 assists across 224 appearances. She won two World Cups and one Olympic gold medal with the USWNT. She ranks fifth all-time in goals and ninth all-time in appearances.
Morgan played in the NWSL for the Portland Thorns (winning the championship in 2013), Orlando Pride (2016-19), and San Diego Wave (2022-24). She also won the UEFA Champions League with Lyon in 2017 and played for Tottenham Hotspur in the Women’s Super League for the 2020-21 season. San Diego retired Morgan’s No. 13 jersey last year.
Last October, Butler became a minority investor in the San Diego Wave. Morgan bought a stake in the Wave last May.
“Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream,” Butler said in a statement. “San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I’m proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women’s sports can be both on and off the pitch.”
San Diego is 3-0-1 and tied at the top of the NWSL table to start the 2026 season.
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