Bam Adebayo is still bothered by being cut from Team USA prior to the start of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
When Team USA chose Myles Turner, Brook Lopez and Mason Plumlee ahead of him, Adebayo took the pain of being cut and channeled it into his game.
Though he insists he doesn’t take the snub personally against any of the three players who made the squad, Adebayo admits that he is using the fact that he was cut from Team USA to fuel his fire.
“I think the whole USA thing motivates me,” Adebayo said. “It’s not a particular player, more so the whole USA situation. I have got a bigger chip on my shoulder than before it happened, but things happen for a reason.”
Even in his matchups against Turner, Adebayo says it’s nothing personal.
“I wouldn’t take anything personal against a player,” Adebayo explained. “It wasn’t his decision for me not to be on the team. Just trying to prove them wrong.”
In Wednesday’s win over the Indiana Pacers, Adebayo certainly outplayed Turner. Turner finished the night with nine points, five rebounds and two assists. Adebayo posted a near double-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The University of Kentucky product is averaging 15.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season.
His all-around brilliance has helped the Heat claim the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed with a record of 27-10.
In a season where he has a good chance at making the All-Star Game, while Turner, Lopez and Plumlee are long shots at best, Adebayo is showing everyone this season that Team USA was wrong to send him home last summer.