Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Plays Minimal Role As Team USA Walks Away With Gold

Anthony Pasciolla | Aug 10, 2024

Jul 31, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States center Bam Adebayo (13) dribbles in the third quarter against South Sudan during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Team USA are officially world champions.

The United States took down former No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and France, 98-87, on Saturday to walk away with the gold medal. Unfortunately for Heat fans, Adebayo didn't play a major role in this victory. He finished the day with just two points and one rebound on 1 of 1 shooting.

Still, Adebayo, along with coach Erik Spoelstra, are returning home as champions. The three-time All-Star thrived earlier in the summer, but coach Steve Kerr relied on the veteran superstars as time progressed.

Below is an emotional photo of Adebayo and Spoelstra sharing a hug following today's win:

This means everything. pic.twitter.com/oLmcVyOfls

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) August 10, 2024

While Adebayo was an important piece of the frontcourt, the Big Three—LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant—were undeniably the top three performers for the USA.

Here's a look at how Adebayo performed in the semifinals against Serbia:

Heat fans were a bit underwhelmed by Adebayo's performance, but had plenty to enjoy.

He finished the day with zero points, one assist, and a steal on 0 of 2 shooting. It's important to note he played just 10 minutes, largely due to the steam-rolling Joel Embiid. Embiid hauled the United States back within reach midway through the final quarter, scoring seven consecutive points.

The sheer size of France's frontcourt likely means increased playing time for Adebayo and Anthony Davis, but don't anticipate major statlines.

The frontcourts will simply rival each other while the guards and forwards look to record huge numbers. Adebayo is no stranger to making an impact all over the court, so expect a productive day from the Heat big man in some facet.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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