It was a night to remember for Miami Heat rookie center Bam Adebayo, to say the least. In what was a hotly-contested showdown versus the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, he may have burned the brightest with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks.
However, the most exciting aspect of the game for Adebayo was getting a chance to play alongside center Hassan Whiteside. According to Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald, Whiteside reciprocated those feelings following their six-straight victory with a win over the Indiana Pacers:
“We’re both from North Carolina, so we’re going to figure out something,” Whiteside said. “But what works out for me and Bam, both of us are kind of flying around and rebounding and blocking everything. I think a lot of people would think that the spacing would be an issue. But the way we play, we’re flashing and we got Wayne spacing and Josh and Goran. It’s not an issue because both of us can shoot. It’s not an issue of spacing.”
Whiteside added that Adebayo's energy on the court is second to none.
“It’s crazy because I’m turning around and all I [see] is a shadow,” Whiteside said. “I see a shadow when we run off of rebounds and blocks. I know if somebody gets past me, it’s like a layup and I’m looking and turning around like this guy is coming out of nowhere [to block the shot], and vice versa. It’s definitely different because I’ve never played with anybody like that, not on the court with them.”
It is encouraging to see the Heat's two promising big men show such high praise for each other. Needless to say, Adebayo has been bringing the non-stop energy from day one.
The 14th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has discussed his admiration for NBA legend Kevin Garnett as one of the fiercest competitors in league history. That said, it is clear that Adebayo is doing his best to live by the same mantra as “The Big Ticket” with his relentless play on the court.
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