Bam Adebayo on ‘whirlwind’ after winning gold with Team USA, and Heat’s revamped roster
From helping Team USA win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics just a few days ago to supporting the Miami Heat’s summer league team in Las Vegas on Sunday night.
It was an eventful weekend for Heat center Bam Adebayo.
“It’s definitely a whirlwind, definitely glad to be home at NBA summer league and I get to see my momma,” Adebayo said at halftime of the Heat’s 97-77 win over the Denver Nuggets at Cox Pavilion to kick off Las Vegas Summer League on Sunday. “And that’s the most fun I’ve had, in bringing her the gold.”
Adebayo, who started for Team USA during its Olympic run, joined Alonzo Mourning (2000 Olympics), Tim Hardaway (2000 Olympics), Dwyane Wade (2008 Olympics) and LeBron James (2012 Olympics) on the list of players who have won a gold medal while under contract with the Heat. For each player who has won an Olympic gold medal while with the team, the Heat has raised a banner at its home arena rafters.
For Adebayo, returning to the United States gives him an opportunity to exhale even as he deals with a brutal 16-hour time difference between Tokyo and Las Vegas. Adebayo carried his new gold medal in his hands around Cox Pavilion as he spent most of Sunday’s summer league game on the Heat’s bench in Team USA gear.
“The pressure of it? You’re playing for a country not just a city, so it was bigger than us,” Adebayo said. “And to bring this home, there is nothing other than gold for the USA.”
But it has also been an eventful few days for the Heat.
Miami added Kyle Lowry, Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker in free agency last week, and also brought back Duncan Robinson, Dewayne Dedmon, Victor Oladipo, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven. Miami’s roster stands at 13 players, with veteran forward and team captain Udonis Haslem expected to return for a 19th season and occupy the 14th spot.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Adebayo said of Heat’s revamped roster. “I feel like we’re going to be a veteran squad. You got a lot of vets out there, so it’s going to be fun and exciting.”
Of Morris and Tucker, who are expected to split minutes at power forward this upcoming season, Adebayo said they will help defensively “and both of them have won, so leadership and then shooting. Spacing for us and also mobile bigs.”
Adebayo is also pleased that Robinson, who was on a $1.7 million salary last season, was rewarded with a five-year, $90 million contract by the Heat in free agency. Robinson was also in attendance Sunday for Miami’s summer game in Las Vegas.
“I’m glad they took care of Duncan,” Adebayo said when asked if he’s happy that Heat co-star Jimmy Butler signed a four-year extension last week. “Jimmy got all that money already. I’m glad they took care of my man, Duncan.”
But in the end, Adebayo was really just happy that he was able to win a gold medal and provide something positive for those impacted by the Surfside condo collapse. One of the final things Adebayo did before he left Miami for Team USA’s camp in Las Vegas in early July was visit the site to pay his respects and thank first responders.
“It’s bigger than me,” Adebayo said. “At the end of the day, it was bigger than me. All those people, for 10 minutes of the gold medal ceremony, got a little bit of joy. Even though that pain doesn’t go away, they got a little bit of joy for their day.”
