Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo showcased a new wrinkle in his game in the team’s preseason opener, draining a 3-point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
BAMONT3 pic.twitter.com/hPjZyf7X2F
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 5, 2022
Adebayo, who has attempted just 50 shots from beyond the arc in his NBA career, sent Heat fans into a frenzy after hitting the jumper. Multiple fans believe the rest of the NBA is in trouble if Adebayo has now extended his range to the 3-point line.
Miami heat NBA champions 2023
— big maz (@_bigmazi) October 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/UtopianRevolt/status/1577470035836407808
The championship is ours pic.twitter.com/PXrz9msh9D
— ¥ (@JustEnvyMeh) October 5, 2022
My Mount Rushmore🫡 https://t.co/MIWqlkND3c pic.twitter.com/lsWTrbQ9dj
— Aston (@_ARooks_) October 5, 2022
It’s over for the league https://t.co/tMMniCbDbt
— Scawt (@Swerner0) October 5, 2022
Now we just need Miami to pair him up with a solid center so he could play his true 4 position and he will reach his final form 👀 pic.twitter.com/S9ZJBzJ3LH
— BAMDPOY (@BAMDPOY13) October 5, 2022
league finna be put on blast 😏 https://t.co/YIaemKDR1d
— Jay (@Jaythecake1) October 5, 2022
League is in trouble https://t.co/yyGk3LfKw8
— (dru) (@DruWhatitDo) October 5, 2022
if bam adebayo can consistently knock down 3s a game (4-6 3PTA per game) on like 40-45% shooting the league is in SHAMBLES https://t.co/cEl3bHI5vj
— victor (@_victorfc) October 5, 2022
Adebayo previously showed off an ability to make shots from beyond the arc in the offseason during an appearance in the Miami Pro League, but it’s one thing to make deep shots in pro-am games and another to make them in actual NBA games.
One fan had an extremely lofty goal for Adebayo, hoping the Heat big man can shoot around 40 to 45 percent from beyond the arc in the 2022-23 season.
While that may be a bit of a stretch considering that Adebayo is just 7-for-50 from beyond the arc in his NBA career, it’s possible that the University of Kentucky product could at least become a threat to score from the outside.
The Heat finished the 2021-22 season with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they eventually lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics. With Adebayo knocking down a trey in preseason, some think the Heat are going to win the title this season.
There’s no doubt that an expanded offensive game would make Adebayo a better player. Last season, Adebayo averaged 19.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the field. He attempted just six shots from beyond the arc all season, missing all of them.
It’s worth noting that in the 2021-22 season, Adebayo shot just 40.4 percent on shots between 10 and 16 feet from the basket. That isn’t a bad percentage, but the Heat certainly would like to see the former first-round pick be more consistent with his jump shot, especially if he starts shooting 3-pointers more consistently.
It will be interesting to see if Adebayo showcases his expanded range more as the preseason continues. Miami’s next preseason game is against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
