Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo Getting Last Laugh At `Overrated’ Critics

December 10, 2022December 10, 2022 Admin

So much has changed for Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo since the summer.

At one time, critics said he should be on the trading block so the Heat could acquire stars such as Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell. Adebayo was also often called “overrated.”

Now, all Adebayo can do is smile.

He has been the Heat’s most consistent player, especially the past weeks when they needed someone to step up in the absence of Jimmy Butler. The Heat brass of Butler, team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra can say this: “I told you so.”

The Heat made it clear in the offseason they had faith in Adebayo. They refused to include him in any trade packages during the offseason. In other words, they knew what they had.

“He has reinvented himself every offseason,” Spoelstra said after last season ended. “Every year in the last three or four years he should have been considered Most Improved Player.”

Riley and Spoelstra met during the offseason to brainstorm ways to better showcase Adebayo’s talents. So far, it has worked.

Adebayo is averaging 21.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 52 percent shooting. In the last seven games, he’s drawn constant double teams because is averaging 26.8 points.

As Butler said during last year’s exit-interviews, “you can’t put a cap and a ceiling on his talents and abilities.”

And it appears the best is yet to come from Adebayo.

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