Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo will represent his team and his country as he will be a vital part of Team USA with the Paris Olympics opener Sunday morning against Serbia. However, there could be people that have concerns with his role on the team since the roster features some of the best players in the NBA like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and much more.
However, Adebayo has shined in the minutes he plays in terms of exhibition play with Team USA on both sides of the floor and looks to continue the momentum heading into contests that matter. The Heat center would say himself that his “role is bigger” than just being a player that scores a lot as he reveals how he fits with the Olympics team according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“I’m not there to go get 30 points,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, we have enough people out there to get 30. But my role is bigger than that. Just being one of the leaders, being one of the guys who over-communicates, the defensive anchor and being able to put guys in the right positions where they can be successful.”
After Team USA lost in the FIBA World Cup in 2023 where they just missed out on a bronze medal, losing to Canada, James committed to joining the squad and recruited other top stars to do as well. What formed was arguably the biggest super team for the country in a very long time rivaling others in the past like the “Dream Team” and even the “Redeem Team.”
Heat's Adebayo trying to find his “niche” within Team USA
Still, it is a challenge to balance out all the talented players as they are used to probably being the featured star on their own team, but when mixed all together, it could create a mess. Adebayo would mention this aspect saying that for a player like himself, he has to act as a “chameleon” and find his “niche” with the team.
“It’s one of those things where you have so much talent, you got to somehow figure out how to be a chameleon and kind of mix in and find your niche,” Adebayo said. “This isn’t about who can go get 30. We’re all the No. 1 or No. 2 options on our team. So just being able to really go out here and just make the main thing the main thing, which is winning. You figure out little things you can do that contribute to that.”
Adebayo addresses this Team USA squad being better than past iterations
There is no doubt that Team USA is favored to win the gold medal in 2024, but they still need to provide 100 percent effort to get the job done as there have been people that's been disappointed by outings in the last several exhibition games. However, the competition acknowledges the group as even Serbia head coach Svetislav Pesic said that this current iteration “is stronger than the Dream Team of 1992” per Chiang.
“I think we have the potential to be one of the best teams that have been in the Olympics on the side of the USA squad,” Adebayo said. “So that’s great that he said it. But he’s not saying that just to be like, ‘We’ll lay down.’ He can be saying that to blow smoke up our [butts], to be honest. For us, it’s keeping the main thing the main thing and that’s winning the gold medal, and then we can talk about that later.”
Adebayo talks sharing the moment with Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra
If there are people that can help coach Team USA to their fullest potential it would be head coach Steve Kerr who also is the same role with the Golden State Warriors as he would balance out stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. An assistant coach for Team USA this year is Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra who besides being with Adebayo, has had to also balance out stars like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh to make four straight NBA Finals, winning two titles.
“I feel like Spo [Spoelstra] if we do win, I feel like he should get his own special banner just because it’s his first one,” Adebayo said. “I feel like it’s a great opportunity for him to be a coach that has won a gold medal.”
Adebayo's Heat career going “fast” amidst quest to win gold for Team USA
It has been a whirlwind of a career for Adebayo so far as he has already won a gold medal for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, looking for a second this year. In terms of his career in the NBA, he has been putting up productive season after another leading to a sizable contract extension this offseason worth $166 million lasting three years. For the Miami big-man, the close to eight years has gone by “fast.”
“Going into year 8, you think about how fast it goes,” Adebayo said. “Every year, I just sit there and reflect about where I started when I got drafted to being a potential two-time Olympic [gold medalist] and being able to have a chance to defend the gold. It really puts it in perspective for me and just being blessed to have these opportunities.”
Now, the goal is simple for Adebayo and the rest of Team USA with the Olympic opener just mere hours away as there is no doubt that they have a massive target on their back. Any country would want to take down this stacked team, but Adebayo and the squad are only focused on winning gold.
“Win the gold — short, sweet and to the point,” Adebayo said when he was asked what he simply is desiring to achieve in the next several weeks of the Paris Olympics alongside Team USA
Last season, Adebayo averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the field as the Heat look to improve after a second straight season with an eighth seed finish. As for Team USA, the Olympics opener is Sunday morning as they face Adebayo's Miami teammate in Nikola Jovic, star Nikola Jokic, and rest of the Serbian national team.
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