Bam Adebayo rooting A’ja Wilson on in WNBA playoffs from afar: ‘A lot of stress, a lot of prayer’
Bam Adebayo’s week has been filled with early mornings and some late nights. The Miami Heat’s three-time All-Star center is up before sunrise to prepare for training camp practices at Florida Atlantic University this week and finds himself up later than usual when Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson has a game.
That’s because Wilson, who Adebayo refers to as his “significant other” and has largely kept their relationship private in recent years, is just a few wins away from capturing her third WNBA championship. Wilson and the Aces secured a spot in this year’s WNBA Finals with Tuesday’s overtime win against the Indiana Fever in Game 5 of their semifinal series.
Wilson and the Aces now open the WNBA Finals on Friday against the Phoenix Mercury in Las Vegas. Despite being a regular at Wilson’s games during the NBA offseason, Adebayo will need to watch the championship series from afar with the Heat in the middle of training camp and the preseason.
“A lot of stress, a lot of prayer,” Adebayo, 28, said of watching Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces push for another title. “That’s really what it is, man. But the No. 1 one thing is just praying obviously they come out unscathed and she comes out unscathed. And obviously you want to see her win. That’s the biggest thing I want in life, I want her to win.
“I want her to keep being and setting a higher standard for everybody to where people think it’s impossible until it’s done. I want people, when she’s done, to be like this is the greatest women’s basketball player to ever touch a basketball. From the time she touched it to the time she left.”
Wilson, 29, is on her way to that type of recognition. Along with already winning two WNBA championships, she became the league’s first four-time MVP and also won her third Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
As a surprise, the WNBA had Adebayo present Wilson with the league’s MVP trophy at the end of an Aces practice last month.
“A special moment for a special person,” Adebayo said of presenting Wilson with the award. “To see somebody be on the Mount Rushmore in their sport is something that you can’t take for granted. So being able to give somebody flowers while they’re still here to smell them, that was a special moment for me and obviously everybody involved.”
While Wilson has reportedly credited Adebayo for her improved footwork, Adebayo believes his game has also benefited from his relationship with Wilson.
“Man, just to have somebody that you can actually talk to from a different perspective, different lens, obviously different coaching,” Adebayo said, with the Heat set to close training camp at FAU on Friday before opening the preseason on Saturday against the Orlando Magic in Puerto Rico. “So for me, man, it’s just being able to watch somebody that great and ask questions after the game. I feel like that’s the biggest way she’s helped me by just being there, allowing me to ask questions and giving me honest answers.”
As Wilson continues to add to her legacy in the WNBA, Adebayo is leaving his own mark in the NBA.
Adebayo, who is entering his third season as the Heat’s captain and ninth NBA season after being drafted by Miami in 2017, is producing at a pace that would make him one of the greatest Heat players ever if he spends all or most of his career with the organization.
At Adebayo’s current pace, he and Dwyane Wade could end up as No. 1 and No. 2 as the Heat’s all-time career leaders in categories like two-point field goals made, free throws made, assists, steals and points, among others. Adebayo is also on his way to overtaking Udonis Haslem as the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder within the next two seasons.
But while Wilson goes for her third WNBA title this season, Adebayo is still looking for his first NBA championship.
“One hundred percent,” Adebayo said when asked if Wilson’s greatness motivates him. “And it has nothing to do with basketball. It’s more so like just the mind, and that’s really what it is. When we go home, one thing I love about it is we can really let our guards down and talk to one another and have those conversations that have nothing to do with basketball.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM.
