4. Bam Adebayo is a star in the making
When the Heat selected the University of Kentucky standout 14th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, they knew they were getting a big man who had the size and athleticism to produce both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Bam Adebayo received praise during the Heat’s offseason, and when he’s gotten his opportunities on the court it’s clear why.
“I don’t want to put boundaries on him,” Spoelstra said back in September. “He has a lot of Miami Heat qualities that we like. The one thing I’ve learned over the years is when [Heat Vice President of Player Personnel] Chet Kammerer says, ‘This is my guy,’ I don’t even have to throw the monitor on and edit him. And that was Chet’s guy six weeks before the draft, three weeks before the draft, one day before the draft, 10 minutes into the draft and we had the pick available and he was there, we just said, ‘OK, Chet, this is your call.’”
Though the Heat have a loaded frontcourt, Adebayo has been able to carve out a position for himself in the Heat’s lineup, averaging 14.0 minutes per game in the eight games he’s played in so far this season. He’s only averaging 3.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, but when the Heat faced off against the talented Minnesota Timberwolves, Adebayo put on a show, scoring 13 points and securing 13 rebounds en route to the talented 20-year-old’s first NBA double-double. He’ll have to continue to work to get his chances as the season progresses, but so far he has proven that he has everything it takes to be a force in the NBA.
Next: The Heat need to target a star in the 2018 offseason
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