We talked with Jared Butler about his heart condition HCM and how it’s affected him on and off the court

During the NBA draft last July, Jazz fans were surprised that someone as talented as Jared Butler had fallen to them in the draft. The biggest explanation was that Butler had a heart condition that, even though he had been cleared by doctors, had contributed to him being available when the Jazz made their pick.

Today, we were lucky enough to talk with Jared Butler, and his mother Juanea, about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, also known as HCM. They explained what HCM is and how it has affected their family. Butler also talked about whether GMs knew about HCM during the draft, how he managed his HCM during his days at Baylor and now with the Utah Jazz.

You can also listen to the interview here as part of the SLC Dunk Podcast.

Butler is helping to raise awareness of HCM so others can know more about the symptoms. You can learn more about the Butler family’s story in the video below.

Personally, I had never heard about HCM until I talked with Jared and Juanea. It was interesting to learn about the symptoms and that sometimes people carry the gene but may not show any signs of HCM. As a father, it’s nice to be aware so that I can look out for it with my own kids.

If you want to find out more about HCM, you can talk to your healthcare provider. You can also go to CouldItBeHCM.com to learn more.