Tag Archive for: Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo: “I want to be a Top 5 Center or Power Forward All Time”

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Bam Adebayo spoke with media this morning about his extension, season expectations, and most importantly, personal expectations.

He began talking about many young guys looking up to him, although he’s only 23 years old, since they want to play as a versatile big who can pass. He said, “I feel like I’m trying to change basketball.”

He then reflected a bit about the past NBA Finals, which he said, “It sucked…There are wins and there is misery. No in-between.” He added, “Two more games and we could’ve been champions…My mindset has definitely kicked up a gear.”

Accountability is the word that should come up most when describing Bam Adebayo, since he takes pride in doing that and truly means it.

Bam talked a bit about a few of his teammates as well, including incoming rookie Precious Achiuwa. He said, “I feel he has more skill than I did in my rookie year.” He also mentioned the similarities between them coming out of college, but gave Precious the edge. He ended saying that Udonis Haslem is constantly pushing him to become a “hardcore leader.”

The relationship between Bam and Udonis is clear, which Bam said, “One thing about UD is that he’s 100% honest…The big brother I never had.”

When Andre Iguodala got brought up, Bam jokingly said, “He’s like UD, but without the explicit words.”

And of course he had to talk a little about Jimmy, which he described why they have such a great relationship. He said, “We’re similar because our work ethic is through the roof. And we both came from nothing and made something out of it.”

When Bam was asked about where he sees his game improving, he responded, “My nickname in the organization is no ceiling, so that gives you a point of where I want my game to be…And win this city a championship.”

It’s very obvious that Bam has his priorities straight, even mentioning that he wants to be a top 5 center or power forward when it is all said and done.

There are not many players that can be at Bam’s level right now, while being so far from reaching their potential. And plus, he’s willing to put the work in to reach that level.

Bam’s playoff run was just the beginning, and he’s ready to make yet another jump this season.

Position-Less Basketball: Miami Heat Paving the Way

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There are a couple of different things that make Miami much different than other teams. The one I’ve mentioned quite a few times is their depth, but there might be something else.

Position-less basketball is clearly the way the league is turning to, since many teams don’t have true bigs or true point guards.

And well, the Miami Heat see the way that the league is going.

For starters, Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of position-less basketball, since he can be the primary ball-handler on the floor at times. He’s not a traditional big, since he doesn’t go to work in the post, while only standing 6 foot 9 inches.

But every center wants to be the ball-handling and play-making center nowadays, since every big in the draft said they wanted to be like Bam.

Tyler Herro can be another representation of turning the tide, since he was labeled as a catch and shoot guy coming out of college. And now he might be the starting point guard in his second season.

He’s definitely earned that, since he improved his passing abilities tremendously before entering the bubble. But even though he has the attributes, he’s not the traditional point guard. And that’s exactly how Miami likes it.

Since they have such a deep bench this year, that means Erik Spoelstra will have a plethora of different lineups to try out, mostly because he can insert any of his players in any position.

When heading into free agency, I kept mentioning that Miami will be going after one mutual attribute. Versatility.

And they got that, adding one of the best defenders, in Avery Bradley, while also picking up a lengthy wing, in Moe Harkless, who can guard multiple positions.

Giving a top coach in the NBA this much flexibility is absolutely genius, and it also impacts many of their young guys who struggle on the defensive end.

While other teams in the East are scrambling to get better, Miami has found a bunch of counters, and they will all be beneficial in this very unique NBA season.

 

Bam Adebayo Signs Extension with Miami

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The Miami Heat gave Bam Adebayo a much deserved extension, worth $163 Million over 5 years.

This honestly shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, since there’s absolutely no reason to take the risk of waiting. He’s been watching a few of his good friends, De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell, get big time extensions as well.

Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of a max/centerpiece player in today’s league. He deserves his money and he deserves it right now.

Obviously this makes many Heat fans wonder about the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation, but once again, that is not Bam’s problem.

As Barry Jackson reported here, he has heard that Giannis will be more impressed if they extend Bam than make him wait. Obviously, the Giannis situation could possibly be in play, but it would be via trade.

This also could mean for Miami that they’re more willing to make a big trade for a guy like Bradley Beal, since the trade route is the only route right now.

But Miami is in no rush. They were prepared for this extension for Bam, since it would’ve been a huge surprise if he waited a year.

They have a plan. And it may be a plan that not many people have been discussing.

The Perfect Balance: Veterans and Youth

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One of the most intriguing parts of last season’s Miami Heat team, was that they were young, but also filled with veterans around them.

And well, that will be the case this season as well for Miami. They have some young guys ready to make that leap, such as Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala, but also have guys like Udonis Haslem, Goran Dragic, and Jimmy Butler to teach them the ropes.

Goran Dragic also thinks this is a huge plus for this team, when he discussed Precious Achiuwa, saying “He’s gonna be a big piece of this team. Me, UD, Jimmy, we’re here to help him.”

And that’s a big deal in this league. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are both great talents, but they both had a mentor by their side every step of the way.

Bam had Udonis Haslem to go to if he had any questions, which ultimately helped him a lot.

Tyler had Goran Dragic this past season, which was even more impactful, since he had the luxury of playing next to him when they came off the bench.

And of course they still have Andre Iguodala, who is the ultimate veteran you’d want on the roster.

Bringing in a 29 year old Avery Bradley adds to that balance as well, since he’s been around the league for quite a few years.

Although it’s clear that Miami’s youth needs their veterans, the veterans also need the youth. It’s just something that comes full circle, since they need fresh legs to come in and take over a game at times, which happened quite a lot this past season.

In Miami’s 12 man rotation next season, they will have six guys 26 or under, and six guys 27 or over.

That is balance. And that matters.

Especially since this season will be very unique once again. So it’ll be interesting to see which type of players benefit most.

Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat Changing the NBA

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It’s no surprise that the entire NBA is trying to find their Bam Adebayo, but it’s just not going to happen. Not many people are given the God given talent of being a guard in a center’s body, but he is one of them.

A few decades ago, the league was being run by dominant bigs, who worked predominantly in the low post. We’ve seen a slow shift away from that type of play in the NBA, but June 22nd, 2017 was the night that we look back at as the beginning of a new era.

Bam Adebayo was picked with the 14th pick by the Miami Heat, and it wasn’t exactly the most loved pick. Why would they take a 6’9 center who can’t shoot the three ball and doesn’t have a low post game?

Well, that’s because he can do absolutely everything else on the floor, which is ultimately the bar for teams across the league when discussing a franchise center.

Now, the Miami Heat selected Precious Achiuwa in the 2o2o NBA Draft, which means that they sense a total 360 in today’s league. They started this trend, and they’re going to ride it out until the next trend comes around.

Many thought they would size up after the Los Angeles Lakers bigs gave them major trouble in the NBA Finals, but I also believe they see this as a counter. Having two quick bigs on the roster gives Miami major flexibility, and ultimately could play many team’s centers off of the floor.

And if any team was going to do it, it would be this fast paced, in-shape Miami Heat team, who could potentially look to run teams off the floor.

Once again, everybody is trying to find their Bam, but there is no other Bam. I’ve mentioned the fact that Precious can reiterate many of the things that Bam does, but that doesn’t mean he’s on track to be the same type of player.

Not only does every team want their Bam, but every player wants to be like Bam. The players in the draft also realize that the game is changing, so they will need to have a versatile offensive game by play-making, handling the ball, and potentially running the offense.

That’s the goal.

The goal is Bam.

And not many people are going to reach that goal.

Bam Adebayo: A Young Player’s Idol

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It is not everyday that a 23 year old gets labeled as a 19 year old’s dream player, but in this draft, that seems to be the case.

There’s one name that seems to come up for every big in this draft, when discussing what player they model their game after.

Bam Adebayo.

And it’s clearly not for a skill-set reason, since most of the players who mention his name play nothing like him. Instead, they model his work ethic, and more importantly, his uniqueness.

Adam Simon said in his press conference earlier in the week, Bam is “one of one,” and it’s clear that’s a mutual thought between everybody who has seen him play.

Whenever players in past drafts are asked the question of players they look up to, you usually hear LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and many other top players. But not only are those guys top five players, they’re also veterans who players in the draft have been watching since they were young kids.

So what makes it so interesting when Bam’s name comes up, is that most of these players just began watching him this past season.

Guards in the draft don’t say they want to be like Donovan Mitchell.

Wings in the draft don’t say they want to be like Jayson Tatum.

But for some reason, the star center from the 2017 NBA draft class, seems to have all the young bigs wanting to be like him.

And the best part about it for Bam Adebayo, is that he’s not even close to his ceiling. He’s evolving by the second, while improving in every part of his game little by little.

But ultimately, character matters in this league. And Bam Adebayo has just that, since it’s clear that he is a very likable player and person across the league.

There weren’t many guys shooting from way beyond the three-point line until Steph Curry did it.

There weren’t many big men shooting consistently and efficiently from three until Dirk Nowitzki did it.

And now, there aren’t many bigs who are capable of doing absolutely everything on the basketball court, but Bam Adebayo is paving the way.

And luckily, he has a herd of guys following behind him, which will alter the game of basketball yet again.

This is Bam Adebayo’s Team, No Matter Who Miami Acquires

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Due to all of the trade talks over the past few weeks involving the Miami Heat, it’s clear that a number one option is what they’re looking to acquire. But I believe that guy will ultimately be the second option.

Bam Adebayo is heading into his fourth season in the NBA, after an intriguing third season which caught the eye of many people around the league.

The difference between his breakout and other players, is that he did that without even reaching half of his potential.

Looking at the outstanding third season from Jayson Tatum, where he averaged 23 points a game, it’s obvious that he’s an evolving star in this league. But when you begin to evaluate him, there’s not many categories that you can say he hasn’t reached his potential.

Bam Adebayo is clearly a top defender in this league, but offensively is where all of the potential is waiting to be reached. That all begins with confidence, because once Bam actually realizes he can be a number one option for this team, that is when he will flourish.

I continue to bring up that closeout game in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, where he previewed what he’s capable of doing in this league as an offensive threat. And unfortunately, an injury in the Finals didn’t allow him to perform at the level he knows he can play at.

But now we are heading into yet another regular season, where there’s uncertainty if Miami’s roster will look the same, or if a superstar will be headlining it. But even if a James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo took their talents to South Beach, I believe Bam will still end up being the primary offensive option.

I’m not so sure it’ll be this upcoming season where he’ll be the number one option, but I do think we see an even bigger leap than what we saw in year three. This ultimately means that he will be the number one option for Miami the following year, and possibly a top 10 talent in the league.

Now, obviously this is a lot of expectations to live up to, but the only reason people say it is because he can absolutely do it.

And when I say he will breakout, it doesn’t just mean improving his points per game, which he definitely could. But what I actually mean is that he will continue to be the most impactful player on the floor, due to his offensive gravity from his passing and ball handling strengths.

A jump shot though would be pretty ideal for him to make an even bigger leap, but I’m not sure it’s as necessary as many think. Of course a consistent mid range jumper changes everything for Bam, but I think increased opportunities of attacking the basket helps him even more.

This Heat team relied heavily on three point shooting all season, which they should, but if the opposing defense has to worry about a weapon like Bam on offense, it gives their shooting a huge boost.

But once again, the specifics don’t truly matter, since it’s obvious that he will be ready to continue to expand his game by opening night.

This is Bam’s year. This is Bam’s team. This is Bam’s franchise.

It’s time to showcase that potential, but truly there is no potential limit to Bam Adebayo in this league.

What Are Some Miami Heat Draft Patterns?

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Since the NBA Draft is exactly a week from today, here’s a look at some draft patterns the Miami Heat have had lately.

For starters, the obvious one is that they’ve picked Kentucky Wildcats with their last two lottery picks, and they both turned out pretty good. And since there are three defensive guards out of Kentucky that Miami can select, what makes you think they won’t do it again?

(By the way, get the Tyler Herro “Drip” shirt here)

Another thing with these past draft selections is that they all had a certain role in college, including Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and even Justice Winslow. Miami never seems to lean towards a player that is a bit of a freelancer, which there are a lot of in that 20 range.

That is why players on well known schools may get the edge from Miami’s perspective, since it’s less of a risk in their eyes.

And when discussing players with less of a risk, I also believe they may take a player with a lower ceiling if need be. There are many guys in this draft who are all offense and no defense, which I can tell you won’t be the way Miami goes. There are also a few that are all defense and no offense, which I think is a much more viable option.

Miami has a bunch of guys who can score the ball, but they don’t have somebody who can lock up opposing guards. This is another example of getting somebody who can try and make an immediate impact. That doesn’t mean he will have significant playing time, but that type of player can definitely get situational minutes.

And with a big man, it doesn’t always have to be about finding a fit for Bam, since he will be playing behind Bam, not next to him. Of course the goal is to eventually develop him into a starting position next to Bam, but that should not be the worry right now, since they are on the contending level.

Another thing is that Miami does not base their pick based off other people’s draft boards. There’s clearly a chance that they could possibly trade down, but they might just take a guy that is projected to go in the second round with the 20th pick. It’s all about being comfortable with the Miami Heat, and if they believe in somebody, they will go with that guy.

Obviously there is still uncertainty if Miami will keep the pick, but there definitely are some guys that fit their mold. Miami picks their players based off motor, since that will usually tell you if they’re a Miami Heat fit.

But whoever they do end up selecting, Heat fans should have zero doubt, since that mistake has already been made before.

Bam Adebayo: A Chris Bosh Leap Incoming

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Bam Adebayo just finished up a very impressive third season in the NBA, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists a game. Definitely not too bad for a 23 year old, and it’s only up from there.

When taking a deep dive into the stats of Bam Adebayo and former Heat player, Chris Bosh, you find many similarities. Bosh seemed to be one year ahead of Bam, since he didn’t have the luxury of making immediate impact like Chris did.

Chris Bosh averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds a game in his second year in the NBA with Toronto, which is pretty similar to Bam’s third year stats.

Chris then went on in his third year to average 23 points a game, without shooting the three ball.

The thing that people seem to want to see different from Bam next season is an improved jumper, which makes sense since that’ll elevate his game to an entirely different level. But it’s definitely not a necessity, since self improvement may hold an even higher importance.

The only difference that Chris Bosh seemed to show in his game when he made that third year leap was offensive confidence. I feel that’s a big thing when discussing Bam Adebayo, since it’s obvious what he can do on the basketball court, but his unselfishness seems to hold some of that back.

Even Jimmy Butler would repeatedly say throughout the season that he needs to try and score more. Miami already has an unselfish leader on the floor with Butler, so it’s Bam’s job to utilize his talent.

Chris Bosh got to the point towards the end of his third season where he’d attempt 20+ shots a game, while a big night for Bam is when he attempts 15 shots.

Once again, it’s just about a certain level of comfort and confidence when he has the ball in his hands to go and make a play.

The reason I know that’s the case is because he proved in the closeout game against Boston that if he has it going, he just can’t be stopped. He began to score at will towards the end of that game, which led to a 32 point performance to send Miami to the NBA Finals.

Another clear similarity between the two is they each have historical Miami Heat playoff blocks. Two guys who aren’t afraid to put their body on the line on the defensive end to make a play when it truly matters.

Although Bam Adebayo just made a huge leap in this past playoff run, that was just the beginning.

Be prepared for yet another breakout season for Bam Adebayo, even if Miami gets another superstar.

That Chris Bosh leap is coming, but I believe it’ll be a much larger one.

How Does Giannis Antetokounmpo Fit with Miami?

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Although Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t a free agent until 2021, he’s the guy that Miami seems to be revolving their 2020 free agency around.

There seems to be real optimism around Giannis joining forces in Miami if he chooses to leave Milwaukee. And well, that seems fairly obvious. Who doesn’t want to live in bright lights of Miami? And who doesn’t want to play with the hardest working organization to compete for a title?

But how would this fit truly look with this Miami Heat team?

For starters, the only issue that people seem to have with this acquisition is the fact that their three best players wouldn’t be able to shoot. And I can guarantee that thought won’t cross the front office’s mind once.

Jimmy Butler doesn’t shoot threes since he feels he can impact the game in every other part of the game, which is also why Erik Spoelstra bought into that. But with Giannis, I feel that they’d definitely find a way for him to improve his shooting.

I believe that starts with having play-makers on the floor who can make him feel comfortable. In Milwaukee, he’s the primary play-maker on the floor at all times, and he also has to play a bunch of one-on-one ball. But in Miami, he will be the third play-making option behind Butler and Bam, which I think could open up his shooting abilities.

Even if he doesn’t improve the shooting it’s not an issue. If Miami is running Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup with those three, it’ll definitely make up for the lack of shooting.

But Miami is not trying to acquire Giannis to improve on the offensive side of the ball, it’s to overload on defense. Giannis is debatably the best defender in the league, who can guard any position on the floor.

The switches between Bam and Giannis on defense would be incredible, but the zone could be one of the deadliest things for this team.

The reason Bam thrived so well with the zone is that he has the ability to constantly move and can guard the perimeter. Giannis is all of that and more, which would definitely make the bottom of that zone a scary sight.

I also don’t believe a fit next to Bam has to revolve solely around a player who can shoot. It actually is about finding a player who can keep their offensive spacing while still playing to their strengths.

While Bam operates from the free throw line extended, Giannis would have no problem roaming the baseline for back-door passes and put-backs.

That doesn’t mean he won’t be their number one option on offense, since he’d probably be utilizing his abilities with his back to the basket as he did in the playoffs. That also takes some pressure off of Bam since he clearly doesn’t enjoy backing down defenders.

I don’t think there’s any question this fit wouldn’t work. As mentioned previously, this team would be the number one defensive and passing team in the NBA. And as long as you have Duncan Robinson, the shooting will be just fine.

Not only is he a fit with this organization and the Miami Heat’s players, more importantly I believe he’s a fit for Erik Spoelstra. Spoelstra has already dealt with a top player in his prime taking his talents to South Beach and he will do it again.

A new big three could be brewing in South Beach.

(Oh and by the way, get your Giannis-Bam 21 shirt here)