Inside The Heat

Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Endorses Jaime Jaquez For Rookie Of The Year

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo thinks teammate Jamie Jaquez deserves consideration for the Rookie of the Year award this season along with Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren

Shandel Richardson

Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Endorses Jaime Jaquez For Rookie Of The Year
Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Endorses Jaime Jaquez For Rookie Of The Year /
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 Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo was given a world platform this weekend during NBA All-Star media availability. 

He made sure to use it as an opportunity to promote teammate Jaime Jaquez. 

"Jaime's gonna be the Rookie of the Year," Adebayo said as he finished Saturday's interviews.

Jaquez is unlikely to win the award this season. The favorites are San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren.  

"I have immense respect for both Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren," Jaquez told Inside The Heat. "They are incredibly talented players who have showcased their skills and potential at a high level. Regarding the Rookie of the Year race, it's always difficult to compare my game to other players, especially when they bring different skill sets and play styles to the court."

Jaquez was more in the discussion before sustaining a groin injury in January that caused him to miss six games. He has struggled some since his return. 

"I believe that if I hadn't been injured, I would have been able to continue making significant contributions to my team and further demonstrate my abilities," Jaquez told Inside The Heat. "However, injuries are a part of the game, and they can impact a player's performance and opportunities. Despite the setback, I remain focused on working hard, rehabilitating, and returning to the court stronger than ever."

Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren And ... Jaime Jaquez?

Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.

TWITTER: @ShandelRich

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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