Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo recently indicated that he hasn’t entirely gotten his stamina back after his extended layoff.
Adebayo was asked to estimate where his conditioning stands after being out for an extended period of time, and he gave an honest answer.
“In the middle,” Adebayo said. “There’s nothing like five-on-five live, in the middle of fans. But doing the little stuff off the court has kept me in great shape.”
Adebayo returned to action earlier this week and was part of Heat victories in his first two games back. While the Heat fell in a close battle with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Adebayo’s return has certainly given the Heat a huge boost.
The grind of NBA life can be difficult, even for players in peak condition. The fact that Adebayo is already offering solid contributions while still working to get his stamina back bodes well for the Heat over the remainder of the season.
Adebayo was the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Over the course of his career so far, he has constantly improved his game. His consistent development is a chief reason why the Heat were willing to invest a great deal of money in him.
That investment continues to pay off and puts the Heat in prime position to potentially be a perennial threat in the Eastern Conference.
Circumstances could obviously change, but even with Adebayo’s lengthy absence, the Heat have one of the top records in the East this season. Time will tell if the team ends up making a deep playoff run.
Adebayo and the Heat will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.